A large variety of condiments to dress your sandwich or sausage. Photo by Jason.We mentioned it before, but tonight was the first night I’ve dropped by to sample the new hot dog cart on the sidewalk just outside the Beacon Pub, near Beacon Avenue South and South Hanford Street. (It’s not the first time we’d tried — our last two attempts were coincidentally just after they’d closed for the night under their old hours.)
From the cart, you can order up hot dogs, bratwurst, hot links, italian sausage, veggie “sausage”, italian and beef sandwiches, tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, meatball subs, sliders, black bean veggie burgers, even pasta. An entire table is packed with condiments from ketchup to cream cheese and everything in between. Also available are nachos, pretzels, chips, popcorn, candy and pop.
Kris & Laurie. Photo by JasonWhen I stopped by tonight, Kris Coty was working the grill. She and Laurie Lusko run the operation. Laurie owns the pub, too. She’s had the place for the last twelve or so years.
Being outside the pub, it’s okay to come with the kids, and it’s a great way to satisfy a late-night hot link craving. Maybe stop in and play pool or belt out a song on karaoke night, too.
KOMO reporter and Beacon Hill neighbor Travis Mayfield. Photo from Travis's personal blog.Among KOMO’s new (and somewhatcontentious) neighborhood-focused newsblogs, Beacon Hill’s Travis Mayfield is likely their best neighborhood reporter. (If you peruse their other “KOMO Communities“, we think you’ll agree.)
Most recently, Travis caught up with Governor Christine Gregoire during a visit to El Centro de La Raza today. Earlier this week, he sat down for a chat with North Beacon Hill Council chair Judith Edwards at Baja Bistro.
The open houses are on Sunday, September 27 from 1:00 pm to 5:00pm, and Wednesday, September 30, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Both are at the Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) at 3639 Martin Luther King Jr Way South.
Interpreters will be on hand, interpreting Chinese, Khmer, Spanish, and Tigrinya from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Sunday; Amharic, Oromiffa, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese from 3:00 to 5:00 on Sunday; and all nine languages at the Wednesday open house. The open house location, ACRS, is an accessible facility. If you need special accommodations, please contact Kerry Wade at 206-733-9088.
 Thanks to Steve Louie for forwarding the info to us!
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.
Sometime between Saturday, Sept 5 noon and Sunday, Sept 6 6.00 PM someone stole a small Japanese maple tree from our driveway. We have a common/shared driveway not visible from the street.
And last night, Destiny near 14th and Spokane had a bicycle stolen, and it wasn’t even hers:
My husband just got back from Burning Man, and washed off the bike we borrowed from a friend: a Maroon Trek mountain bike. He set it on the side of our town house to dry, and someone STOLE it our of our little yard while it was drying last night. Now we own my best friend $700.
Please be on the lookout for a maroon Trek Mountain bike with straight handlebars. It’s a few years old but in great condition.
Details for the September 8th meeting at the Jefferson Park community centerTonight, in just over half an hour, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Utilities are hosting a meeting to learn about state and federal funding (through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) that the city intends to apply for, plus updates on the construction at Jefferson Park.
We’re not able to make this meeting, but we’d love to publish your accounts and impressions. Send us your write-up, or feel free to add your comments here.
Update: A writeup of the FEMA portion of the meeting is in the comments from Adam Ganz. Thanks Adam!
Photo by Jason.Hello Bicycle on Beacon Avenue has too much stuff in too small a space, so they are having a sale to get rid of bikes, frames, wheels, scrap metal, fixtures, and, basically, anything big that is taking up too much room.
Everything big is therefore on SALE, I’d be happy to negotiate lots of things for lowered prices. The more you’re willing to take the better deal you’ll get. Lot of free used tires that are in decent shape that the landlord is saying I’m not allowed to leave outside beside the shop, too.
There are probably a couple dozen used bikes that need to be sold, prices for bikes from $40 and up, with some freebies that aren’t pretty but could be useful to the right person. Please note, this sale only applies to BIG items that take up lots of physical space, and NOT small parts like lights, accessories, etc.
The Denise Louie Education Center on Beacon Avenue South is holding a Jazz Night fundraiser this Saturday, September 12, 6:00 pm, at Showbox SoDo (1700 First Avenue South). The event will feature a silent auction, a live auction, dinner, and dancing.
You can purchase tickets online for $75/person, but there are other ways you can contribute if you can’t attend the show. Volunteers are needed on the day of the event between 10:30am-11pm, and items are needed to be donated for the silent/live auctions. The last day to donate is Wednesday, September 9. Please contact Frances Lin, Community Outreach/Enrollment Manager, at (206) 725-9740 x102 if you can volunteer.
The Denise Louie Education Center is a Head Start center that serves over 200 at-risk families and children (ranging from 3-5 years old). The Jazz Night fundraising event allows them to provide additional services that the government does not fund, such as Play and Learn Groups (serving 0-5 years old), school supplies, and field trips.
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Magic Madness is coming to the Jefferson Community Center on September 18 at 6:30 pm! Magician Aaron Wheeler will be there to perform tricks, stunts, and mayhem in a fun family event. The show is open to all ages, for $3 pre-registered or $5 at the door.
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The South Precinct Picnic is this Saturday, September 12, from 1:00-4:00 pm. All South Precinct community members are invited to enjoy dancing, music, food, magic, and more. You’ll have a chance to tour the precinct station, meet your local police officers, and learn about specialty units such as SWAT, mounted, and K-9. The picnic is at the South Precinct, 3001 South Myrtle.
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.
