Photo courtesy of Chobo-Ji.Chobo-Ji, Beacon Hill’s Zen Temple, is offering a four-part series on the basics of Zen philosophy and meditation, starting on Tuesday, October 15.
Classes are Tuesday evenings from 7:30-8:45 p.m. Here’s what will be included:
Oct 15 Zazen: the basics of meditation
Oct 22 Meditation in motion: walking meditation, working meditation, chanting, tea ceremony
Oct 29 Roots of Rinzai Zen philosophy: with Abbot Genjo Marinello on the basics of “koan practice” and the role of the “Zen Master”
Nov 5 Zen Meals: the special place that cooking and eating has in Zen practice and life
Sunday, Nov 10, 5:00 am- 11:30 am “Mini-Sesshin”: a half-day sampling of what a traditional week-long Zen retreat is like including, chanting, personal interviews with the abbot, a formal meal, meditation, and a Dharma talk
Cost of the series is just $20, or $40 including the half-day on Sunday. All are welcome regardless of ability to pay. Come to one class, or all. For further questions, contact Tobin Fudo Youngs at 425-351-3929.
Asparagus photo by Wendi Dunlap.This month’s Canning Connection session on April 23 will focus on a favorite spring vegetable. Canning Connection’s Christina Olson writes:
Having explored sweetness at last month’s Canning Connections, we do a big turn to tartness for our April 23 session.
We’ll be putting up pickled asparagus, so appreciated later on when fresh young shoots are no longer in the markets. To complement those spears, we’ll experiment with pickling garlic. Will it be the recipe for Chinese, French, Korean or another variety of pickled garlic? Both of these pickles make great gifts.
This session is open to those who have taken our beginner class, or those who have experience with water bath canning. Class is held Tuesday, April 23, 7-9 p.m. at the Garden House (2336 15th Ave S.) Cost is $15 and includes everything but your apron. Register online at www.canningconnections.com.
Tamales photo by iotae via Creative Commons/Flickr.El Centro de la Raza (2524 16th Ave. S.) is offering Spanish language and tamale-making classes in the next few weeks. Class fees will help support the programs and services that El Centro offers.
Spanish language classes start on Tuesday, April 16, and run until June 20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. They are taught by professional native speakers in an interactive, community-based setting. Levels from beginner through intermediate are available. The tuition fee is $300. For more information, call 206-957-4605 or email execasst@elcentrodelaraza.org.
The regular tamale-making class returns on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students will learn how to make traditional authentic pork tamales. Tuition of $75 includes the recipe and a dozen uncooked tamales. For more information, call 206-957-4611 or email development@elcentrodelaraza.org.
El Centro de la Raza from the south. Photo by Wendi Dunlap/Beacon Hill Blog.Kids, yoga fans and taxpayers are part of some of the upcoming and current activities at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Ave S. Read on for more information:
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Jonna Bracken is teaching yoga classes at Skin Deep Dance studio on the second floor of El Centro on Thursday evenings, from 7:00-8:15 p.m. The class is open to all levels of practitioners and is an alignment-based class. The fee is four classes for $55 or eight classes for $100, but you can try your first class for free. Questions? Contact Jonna via email at jonnayoga@gmail.com.
Classes for kids aged 18 months through three years start on April 1. Classes for four-year-olds start on June 1.
Assistance is available to fill out applications for subsidies from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) or the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Slots are also available for private pay families. For more information or to enroll, call 206-957-4619 or email jmcdc@elcentrodelaraza.org.
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As mentioned on this site last month, there is a free tax preparation clinic currently operating at El Centro. In addition to tax preparation, help is available for completing the FAFSA (application for student loans for college), applying for food stamps, utility assistance, free credit reports and more.
The United Way Tax Preparation program is free for anyone making under $51,000. Bring photo ID and Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, along with all wage and earnings statements and any other documents needed for tax filing.
Tax prep sessions are open at El Centro on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. (English/Spanish) and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (English/Spanish/Tagalog).
Get rid of your old exercise albums and tapes and try Van Asselt’s fitness courses instead. Photo by Kevin Dooley via Flickr/Creative Commons.Two upcoming classes at Van Asselt Community Center will help neighbors aged 18 and older shake off those winter pounds and get more fit.
The first class, Aerobics, will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m., starting on April 2. Longtime instructor Noel Montgomery will lead the class. The cost to join is $75, or $65 for adults 65 and up.
The second class, Boot Camp, is an “intense evening workout” to gain strength and endurance while losing weight. The Van Asselt neighborhood is the exercise arena for this class, which will run on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting on April 16. Cost for the Boot Camp class is $65.
Call 206–386–1921 to register or for more information.
Mmm… Cherry Preserves, by JeffreyW via Flickr/Creative Commons.Beacon Hill’s Canning Connections will hold another workshop on Tuesday, March 26 from 7-9 p.m. at the Garden House (2336 15th Ave S.). This month’s workshop will cover low sugar options for preserving:
“We’ll be comparing at least two products for making jams with less sugar than conventional recipes. While sugar is considered necessary for preservation, many folks are looking for ways to cut back on the amount of added sweetness to their jams. This 4th Tuesday event is typically open to those with experience canning, but for this session all levels of experience are welcome to join us and taste test the results.”
Photo by anasararojas via Creative Commons/Flickr.
Get your apron ready for this month’s edition of El Centro de la Raza’s tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.
The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.
It may be February, but it’s not too late to make or keep your New Year’s resolution. Yoga and aerobics classes are still open at at Van Asselt Community Center, 2820 S. Myrtle St.
Adult aerobics on Tuesday and Thursday nights with health and fitness expert, Noel Montgomery. No class 3/12.
Beginning Yoga
Ages: 18 and Older
Wednesday Nights
2/6 – 2/27
3/6 – 3/27
Cost: $30 per month
In this class you will learn the fundamentals of yoga. It is taught at a slower pace to allow you to experience postures fully and to learn to incorporate modifications specific to your abilities and limitations. The class is appropriate for both new yoga students and students with some experience who want to develop a regular practice. Please provide your own yoga mats and water bottle.
Photo by anasararojas via Creative Commons/Flickr.
Signups are open for this month’s edition of El Centro de la Raza’s tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 23. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.
The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.
Photo by anasararojas via Creative Commons/Flickr.
This weekend the taste of tamales returns to El Centro de la Raza with a tamale-making class from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 26. A master tamalera will teach the traditional preparation of pork tamales, handmade with cultural ingredients including pork lard.
The $75/person class fee includes the recipe and one dozen uncooked tamales. Cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but you should bring your own apron. All fees go to support El Centro’s Senior Nutrition and Wellness program.
