Glenn Fleishman writes at the very end of his latest article, Digital Discrimination, a further exploration into the bandwidth black hole that is Beacon Hill and the Central District, at Publicola:
I’m looking for insight from the neighborhood. Do you live in Beacon Hill, the C.D., or surrounding areas and have been frustrated with broadband? Comment below. Tell us what you have, what you get, and what you’ve tried to do. Are you planning to move because of this, because you can’t work at all from home or stay up on office issues? Does it affect your business? Let us know.
Drop on by, read the article, and let him know about your home or business internet situation here on the hill.
The next batch of results in the Beacon Hill BlogTop of the Hill reader survey are about food and fun on the hill. We’ll be bringing the rest of the survey results to you periodically over the next few days. Previous results are here.
(Editor’s note added 9/21, 2:56 pm: As with the earlier results, some of these results don’t add up to 100% because people gave multiple answers.)
What is the best restaurant on Beacon Hill? We knew El Quetzal was well-liked but didn’t expect it to be as much as an overwhelming favorite as it was. Apparently lots of us are fans of their tortas and huaraches: 40% of respondents selected the tiny Mexican restaurant on Beacon Avenue as the best restaurant on the Hill. Its closest competition was the Java Love/Baja Bistro combo, with 21%. A few other restaurants were mentioned multiple times, including Kusina Filipina (5%), La Cabaña (4%), Thai Recipe (3%, and just barely qualifying as Beacon Hill, since it’s almost at the bottom of McClellan — but we’ll take what we can get), and Inay’s (2%).
3% of you don’t feel any Beacon Hill restaurants are up to snuff, so you go to Georgetown or Columbia City. Then there was the guy who said the best restaurant is “Chevron.” (Hey, the seasoned catfish there is actually really good.)
(Editor’s note: Commenter cliff rancho points out that it’s actually the Shell station that has the tasty catfish. We don’t know if any nearby Chevron actually has edible food or not.)
The award for most misspelled restaurant on Beacon Hill goes to Kusina Filipina. Survey respondents spelled it: “Kuisina Filipina,” “Cusina Fillipina,” “Cucina Philippina,” “Kusina Flilipina,” and “the Filopina kitchen next door that I can not spell.” Only one person spelled it right.
What is the best evening hangout on Beacon Hill? All right, we admit that this is one of the questions we asked hoping that our readers would tell us about some potential places to go in the evenings that we don’t already know about. Unfortunately, the pickings are still a little slim up here. Continue reading Top of the Hill survey results, part 2: food and fun→
The first Beacon Hill BlogTop of the Hill reader survey closed last week. We’ll be bringing the results to you periodically over the next week or so. Here’s the first part of the results.
The survey started with a couple of basic questions:
Where do you live on Beacon Hill? We did know that we had more readers in North Beacon than any other part of the hill, but were surprised to see how many more. 63% of survey respondents live on North Beacon Hill, 32% on Mid-Beacon, and only 4% on South Beacon. North Beacon is probably slightly denser than the rest of the hill, but not so much that we’d expect that sort of difference.
How long have you lived on Beacon Hill? This answer surprised us a great deal, though perhaps it should not have. The leading answer by a mile, was 1-5 years, chosen by 38% of respondents. It was followed by 5-10 years (20%), 10-20 years (18%), 0-1 year (14%), 20-30 years (5%) and more than 30 years (also 5%). Particularly interesting here is that this indicates that 52% of us — at least, of those of us who read the BHB and fill out surveys — have been here for five years or less.
As the disclaimer in the last sentence indicates, however, we are well aware of the statistical limitations of our survey. Does it represent all of Beacon Hill well? Probably not. We probably should have taken more demographic info, to get a better idea who might be answering the survey. Still, it does seem likely that Beacon Hill has a lot of newcomers these days.
As we posted earlier, the Top of the Hill survey is currently open. The survey lets you tell us what your favorite places are on Beacon Hill, or, sometimes, your least favorite.
You have one more day to take the survey! After tomorrow the survey will be closed. We’ll publish the results as soon as we can after that, but it may take a little while to crunch the numbers.
A volunteer at work on the Hanford Steps last year. Photo by Jason.The Hanford Stairs Weed Busters need you! Susan Fairo is seeking teams of two people (volunteering together or matched up individuals) who can put in 2-3 hours four times a year to help keep weeds from taking over the new native plants at the public staircase near 25th and Cheasty. Rookie Weed Buster team volunteers will receive instruction on what to remove and what to ignore, and use of tools, watering, plant disposal, etc. If you’re interested or have questions, contact Susan at susan.fairo@gmail.com or call 206-349-7285.
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Noticed an increase in airplane noise? Patty Fong is organizing neighbors in Beacon Hill and the Central District to address the issue with the FAA. See this comment on a previous Beacon Bits for more details, including contact information.
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Teens can earn service learning credit at the library. In addition to free SAT prep and online tutoring, the Seattle Public Library is also running a teen advisory board this school year. If you know teens wishing to earn service learning credit by writing book reviews, helping at teen programs, or writing for the SPL blog, contact Jennifer Bisson at Jennifer.Bisson@spl.org or call 206-615-1410.
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Catholic Community Services is looking for tutors. Their Youth Tutoring Program is an after-school educational enrichment program for at-risk students in first through twelfth grade. Volunteers offer academic support and also serve as positive role models to students, helping strengthen their sense of self-esteem and self-respect. Tutors help students with reading, homework (all subjects), math and language arts skills. Resources are available for those subjects you might not remember quite so well, and no specific background is necessary aside from a high school diploma. Tutoring Centers located nearby in NewHolly and Rainier Vista are open Monday-Thursday from 4:20-7:40pm, and tutoring would be for 1-3 hours per week on the same night every week. You can apply online at http://www.ccsww.org/ytp.
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Flash Volunteer offers many more volunteer opportunities. A non-profit startup run by Brad Wilke, a former Development Director at Denise Louie, aims to link people and neighborhood-focused volunteer opportunities. Check it out at www.flashvolunteer.org.
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A South Beacon Hill neighborhood watch is coming together. Mike Cheney, working with SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon’s encouragement, is trying to bring together South Beacon Hill neighbors to form a neighborhood watch group. Perhaps you read the recent Wall Street Journal article “Civilian Patrols Grow As Recession Puts Citizens on Guard” and it piqued your interest, or maybe you’d just like to make your block a safer place to live. If you’re interested, email Mike at redboneshadow@yahoo.com.
Even on dark winter mornings, dogs like Tica need their exercise. Photo by melissajonas. All of my posts so far have been about me and my experiences as a pedestrian and neighbor in Beacon Hill. I’d like to share some of my observations about sharing my life with an athletic, social animal.
Tica turned 10 in June. She’s still active and continues to demand (and deserve) regular exercise, but at a much more gentle pace. We go out for 20-30 minutes in the morning and again in the evening. From age 1-5, Tica had to be engaged for at least a couple of hours every day.  She is a smart, social dog and it was fun to find ways to keep her entertained. It was also a lot of work. I trained Tica using a “clicker” and positive training methods. This approach worked miracles with my high-energy dog. Using positive methods strengthened our relationship and helped Tica become more trusting of strangers. Clicker Solutions is one of many online resources for this method.
My mantra in those years was “a tired dog is a good dog.” When Tica was younger, she got bored easily. When she was bored, she’d find ways to get my attention–barking, whining, digging, chewing… behaviors I couldn’t ignore. I realized that keeping her busy on my terms was a lot easier than trying to deal with her behavior after she got bored.
If you have a spring puppy, you’ve probably both been basking in the incredible weather. It’s easy (and fun!) to take long walks and extended trips to the dog park while the sun is shining. It’s a lot more effort when the sun goes down at 5:45 and the puddles are past your ankles. Make the effort to keep your dog active–it pays off!
Wondering how you’re going to keep your dog active & happy this winter?
Wear a watch. Make a commitment to take the dog out every day. Most experts recommend 60-90 minutes, especially for high energy and/or younger dogs. You know your dog and your lifestyle. Set a goal and stick to it.
Dress appropriately. You’re more likely to take the dog out if you’re comfortable. Wear weather appropriate shoes, invest in a good raincoat, and get several hats. Keep visibility in mind–you want drivers to see you on dark November afternoons. I don’t wear headphones because I want to be aware of my surroundings.
Keep your dog safe and comfortable. Some breeds are prone to ear infections, especially in wet climates. Watch for discharge coming out of the ears and/or extra scratching. Some breeds (Greyhounds, pit bulls, etc) need a sweater or rain coat to stay dry and warm on long walks. Talk to your vet if you have concerns.
Trade doggy play dates and/or get together with a friend. Take turns bringing the dogs to the park, or simply getting them together to run around in the backyard. You’re less likely to put off that walk when you’ve made a commitment to another human.
Play indoor gameswith your pooch. Teach new tricks, hide dog treats behind the couch or in the bathtub, or practice a quiet “down, stay” while you’re making dinner. Mental stimulation and social interaction keep dogs busy & happy. Your dog still needs to go outside–but make the most of indoor time, too.
Take classes. Seattle has too many dog resources to list. Agility, obedience, herding, conformation…there’s bound to be something you and your dog will both enjoy. Many classes are in a covered or indoor area.
Hire a professional. If you’re too stretched for time to meet your dog’s needs, consider paying for a dog walker or taking your pup to a doggy daycare. A responsible teenage neighbor might just be the perfect answer for getting your dog out of the house. Be sure to interview critically–this person is going to be alone with your pet and may have access to your home. Check references.
In every season, remember to be a responsible neighbor: carry bags and clean up after your dog, keep her leashed, and be respectful of others. Many people are afraid of dogs–including some dog owners.  Tica is medium sized by my standards (45lbs), but to some people she looks intimidating. I don’t force the issue. Observe dog and human body language and keep your dog under control.
It takes a village…
A new baby, illness, injury, increased or changed work schedule… sometimes there are times when the responsibilities of a pet are too much. If you need help, ask. If your neighbor needs help, offer.  A dog walking service is a great baby shower gift! There are also lots of pet charities who need your support. Donate food, litter, and other supplies to help others care for their pets. Encourage your animal-loving student to consider volunteering at a shelter when assigned community service projects.
This is what our Beacon Hill Library looked like shortly after opening a few years ago, before they put up the "boat/whale" sculpture. Photo by Wendi.We are partway through a bleak, library-less week, and some people have plans to let the library staff know how much they have been missed. Neighbor Sarah wrote to the mailing list with a challenge:
“I received an e-mail from a parents’ group saying that several neighborhoods are starting up campaigns to welcome back the Seattle Public Libraries staff on Tuesday, September 8th with cards, pictures, thank yous, whatever saying how much we appreciate our neighborhood libraries and miss them when they’re gone.
“I’m planning on putting something up there on Monday, I hope others will join me!”
The survey lets you tell us what your favorite places are on the Hill, or, sometimes, your least favorite. Some of the questions are serious, some are frivolous, but the results should be entertaining, at the very least.
The survey will be open for two weeks. It will close on September 11. We’ll show you the results shortly after that.
The survey is open to anyone who lives or works or spends lots of time on Beacon Hill.
View of the African-American Museum from Beacon Bluff. Photo by melissajonas. I’m a foul-weather gym member. The Meredith Matthews YMCA (just off 23rd in the Central District) has a great facility and low rates—and they allow me to join and cancel at will with no fees. This allows me to workout outside when I want, and inside when the weather shifts. I prefer to spend as much time outside as possible in the summer, and to integrate my workouts into the rest of my life as much as possible.
If you’re looking for a great workout in our neighborhood, check out the stairs running east-west on the streets between 15th and 17th. I created a Google map to give an idea of stair locations and the route we take. Be creative and explore the area—I usually incorporate a few hills in addition to the stairs.
Depending on how much time I have (and how Tica’s feeling) we’ll walk or jog the stairs while heading north, then slow down and head south towards home along a less steep route.
Photo by Wendi.What are your experiences with the new RPZ (Restricted Parking Zone) in Beacon Hill?
Since 2003, I’ve parked my car in front of the house on the concrete area between the sidewalk and the street. There are two spaces and the curb is cut to allow car access to the area. The car doesn’t block the sidewalk. We considered this area a parking strip. According to the brochure left on my windshield, the City considers it a planting strip and it is illegal to park there.
I’m not the only person on our block to use this area for long-term parking. If I park on the street, I have to move my car every 72 hours–even if I have nowhere to go. I thought parking on the parking strip was responsible; I’m frustrated that it’s not allowed.
We chose this neighborhood in part because the location encourages and supports leaving the car at home. I walk to Red Apple and restaurants and we both take mass transit to work. We have cars because occasionally we need them–but rarely every 72 hours.
How does a law that requires every car in the city move every 72 hours encourage people to get out of our cars? How is parking in a paved area with curb cutouts worse than parking on the street?
Does anyone know the process for initiating changes in parking policy?
