Food

Hundreds walk to remember, honor the Schulte family (PHOTOS)

April 1, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 14 Comments

Walkers gathered under the swaying palms of the Wedgwood Top Pot before setting out.

Seattle Police Department officers wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Seattle Police Department officers and their rides wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Pedestrian and cyclists, young and old, the sighted and the blind all participated, and fueled up with coffee and doughnuts beforehand, provided by Top Pot.

This walker in orange was one of three I noticed walking with a white cane. She is pictured with her ASL interpreter (the woman in orange is Deaf-Blind).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (1 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (2 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (3 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (4 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (5 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (6 of 6).

A cameraman films the start of the walk on 35th Avenue NE.

The group walks west on NE 73rd Street, after turning off 35th Avenue NE.

Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn (center, light blue shirt) walks with Schulte family members down NE 73rd Street.

More walkers heading down NE 73rd Street.

Here the group is shown walking north on 33rd Avenue NE, taking the approximate route the family took on Monday, March 25. On the left side, Lacia Lynne Bailey, Judy’s Truffle (the baby goat), and some Schulte family members and friends stand where Bailey chatted with the Schultes one week ago. She was the last person to speak to the family before they attempted to cross NE 75th Street.

More walkers heading up 33rd Avenue NE, to the memorial site.

33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street. Some family members stand together on the right, behind the main crowd.

Bailey talks to Dan Schulte, husband of Karina and father to Elias, who are both still at Harborview Medical Center. They are flanked by a female neighbor from the immediate area and two of Dan’s cousins.

Members of the Schulte family, gathered in front of the memorial. Hundreds of neighbors and complete strangers have stopped by throughout the week to pay their respects, Bailey told us. She has been tending the site daily ever since people started leaving flowers, notes, or other tokens after the tragedy.

One of the Seattle Police Department officers who escorted the walkers to and from the memorial site looks on.

“Look out for pedestrians.”

After spending some time at the memorial, the walk heads back to the starting point, heading east on NE 75th Street, before heading south down 35th Avenue NE.

Mayor McGinn talks with Dongho Chang,(Chief Traffic Engineer for the Seattle Department of Transportation) at 33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street.

Before starting down NE 75th Street with his family, this dad said to his small son, “This is the one time we’re walking in the street, buddy.”

Mayor McGinn with Bailey, and Judy’s Truffle. Bailey has added to the baby goat’s original name in remembrance of Judy Schulte.

…

My thoughts, from Sunday, March 31:

Tonight I met 2 of the 3 makers of the Schultes’ white crosses at #75th. One made them, one painted them white, one did the calligraphy.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

All three cross makers, neighbors of the young Schulte family.
“Neighbors are our geographic (not genetic) family.” – Lacia (@goatguild)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

The cross painter, husband of the calligrapher, still has white paint on his fingernails…

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

…like I think many of us carry the tragedy on our hearts.
Because this happened to our neighbors. Our family.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

Thoughts from a run through Wedgwood,View Ridge, past Sand Point Comm UMC, to the memorial on 75th. (We’re all much closer than we think.)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

…

Hungry for a business opportunity? Three Ravenna restaurants for sale (UPDATE)

February 18, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 29 Comments

As we mentioned in our newly returned Sunday Edition, there were some local restaurant sale mysteries we were puzzling over. Then, on Monday afternoon, we had a break-through: There were not TWO Ravenna restaurants looking to change hands, but THREE.

The first local restaurant for sale is the Pied Piper Ale House (2404 NE 65th St).

The family friendly pub and Geeks Who Drink pub trivia spot has been closed with no explanation since the end of 2012. Then, this week, we learned from a follower on twitter who spoke to the Pied Piper manager on what happened to be their last day of business (the end of December, either the 27th or 28th).

Here is the listing for the location, with the name included in the picture, leaving no mystery:

Commercial Brokers Association listing for the Pied Piper Ale House (click to read the full listing).

**The second closure is a long-time Ravenna neighborhood fixture: Casa D’Italia* (2615 NE 65th St).**

We were first alerted to this closure via a Craigslist post just last week, which included the ominous line, “We are no longer able to run the restaurant due to family issues but the restaurant has great potential for the future.”

Since then, three more Craigslist posts have popped up: Two on Saturday, February 16 (one showing the furniture for sale, the other listing other fixtures), and a final one on Monday, February 18, stating that the location is for lease.

We visited the location Monday evening, and found this note on the door:

To all our guests,

On February 16th, we made a family decision to close Casa D’Italia. We would like to thank everyone for your support throughout the last 12 years. We will be keeping our website running so check us out at www.casaditaliaseattle.com to keep up on our next venture and find out where Anthony is cooking next.

Again, thank you for your support.

God bless,

– The Donatone Family

Turns out the closure seems fast because it was.

Casa_DItalia_closes2

We’ve reached out to the family for more information, and will update this post if we hear anything back.

UPDATE (Thursday, February 28): From Angeli Donatone, wife of Chef Anthony (via email):

Yes, it was a sudden closure but one that had been looming for awhile. Like so many others, we have been affected by the changing economy, both personally and professionally. It was a challenge for us to say good-bye to Casa D’Italia, which grew in 11 years to be like family for so many. We trust that when one door closes, many others will open, and it is with this blind faith that we made the decision to close.

Our lease had been month-to-month for many years, and we felt the deferred maintenance on the building was catching up with it, and didn’t want this to become a liability to us, an independant family-run business. We are so proud of the community that was built and all of the fans of “Casa” “Anthony’s” or “the two tomatoes” among other nick-names…Please thank the neighbors for sharing their lives with us. We also have referrals for some great Italian caterers…They may contact us via our website where we will post updates to our whereabouts.

http://casaditaliaseattle.com/default.asp

The third local restaurant sale is more of a mystery.

The listing states a location of the Ravenna neighborhood, but is not any more specific. In fact, interested parties are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before learning of its location.

Our only clues are in the description, which includes the following:

[E]xposed timber beams and soaring 18′ ceilings. Opened August 2011 after extensive remodel. 1,760 SF (restaurant) plus 220 SF (on site office and storage room). Seats 60 including 18 counter seats in bar area.

Craigslist ad for the mystery restaurant (click to read the full listing).

We have our guesses. We’ve been told we’re wrong (by a friend of friends of the owner), but with an NDA on the table, all bets are off.

____________________

*Casa D’Italia was the Ravenna Blog’s very first paying customer, in terms of advertising. We will always have a hyperlocal place in our heart for them, and we wish them the very best in the future.

Filed Under: Food, Open/Closed, Ravenna, Ravenna Blog sponsor, Real Estate, Restaurants, Updates

Soup Swap event at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center on January 26

January 2, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 1 Comment

The high feasting holidays are over, and the leftovers are gone (or should be).

What culinary escapade should you try next? How about a SOUP SWAP?!

Join us at 3 PM on Saturday, January 26, at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE) for this hopefully-to-be-annual event.

Cooked soup by La.Catholique (via Flickr)

All you need to do is bring from one to six quarts of soup (frozen) with you on Soup Swap day, and you’ll go home with an equal number of different soups to enjoy throughout the winter.

We’ll also be giving away a few loaves of locally-made bread to go with those soups.

For some more detailed Soup Swap directions, you can visit the National Soup Swap how-to page.

And if you need any recipe ideas, let us know in the comments below: We’ll help you out!

Here is a rather delightful video about a Soup Swap event in Seattle from 2011, when this particular group was celebrating their 13th annual swap (WOW):

We’ll also be collecting for the Northwest Help Line Food Bank at this event, so if you have any extra cans of food that you couldn’t fit in your soup, be sure to bring them with you.

Filed Under: Events, Food, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

New NE Seattle Tool Library open house on Saturday

November 29, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 5 Comments

Back in July, CleanScapes announced the 2011 winners of their now annual Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition. The big winner was a project started by members of Sustainable NE Seattle to gather and house a library of tools for members of the city to use. A location was found, renovations are underway, and the first public glimpse of a lot of hard work and long hours is upon us.

The brand new NE Seattle Tool Library (2415 NE 80th St) is holding an open house this Saturday, December 1. Community members interested in learning more about this new neighborhood resource and meeting the people who put it together would do well to attend.

From the Sustainable NE Seattle event page:

We want to have an open house and celebrate before we start moving in tools and shelves, so come by December 1 between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm, bring a snack or drink to share, tools you’d like to donate, and see the space! There will be music and room to dance, so bring your dancing shoes!

View NE Seattle Tool Library location in a larger map

Just like the already established West Seattle Tool Library (a project of Sustainable West Seattle), the NE Seattle Tool Library is free to use. From the NE Seattle Tool Library website:

Anyone over 18 is welcome to use The NE Seattle Tool Library, whether you live in NE Seattle or anywhere else in the region. Members are just required to fill out a membership application and a liability waiver as well as present two forms of ID to Tool Library staff.

But while the North Seattle Friends Church who owns the building is allowing its use rent-free, utility costs still need to be covered by the tool library. As users are guided through the online membership form, there is an opportunity to give a donation to the organization (recommended amounts are “General Public: $40, Student/Senior: $30, Low-Income: $20”). There is also a way to donate (via PayPal) on the homepage.

Filed Under: Civic Envolvement, Events, Food, Fundraiser

Banh mi oh my: Kirkland’s Plume opening second shop in NE Seattle

November 28, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 37 Comments

I was sad to see Forza Coffee leave its space on 25th Ave NE (there is still a location in Green Lake, should you miss it, too), but I will admit that I got a little excited when I learned what would be talking its place: A Vietnamese sandwich shop* called Plume (5101 25th Ave NE Suite 4).

It all started about two years ago, when Ton Nguyen visited Vietnam on vacation. There, he fell in love with banh mi: baguettes most commonly stuffed with pickled carrots and daikon radishes, fresh cucumber, a protein (such as pork, tofu or egg), held together with mayo and topped with cilantro. He’d have one for breakfast (with fried egg), then have another for lunch, and have yet another for dinner.

When Nguyen came back home to NE Seattle, he wanted more, and he wanted to share. In more than one location. Plume Kirkland opened in late May 2012, with a menu consisting of six different sandwiches (now eight), six different spring rolls, a noodle salad and various beverages, including ca phe sua da, the coffee (dark roast, finely-ground Vietnamese beans) brewed directly over a glass containing sweet condensed milk. But where to put Plume Number 2? When the Forza space became available, the building’s owners (who happen to be the owners of Plume Number 1’s building in Kirkland) told Nguyen about the space: Similar in size and layout to the current store, with restaurant fixtures already installed. And not too far from his house. Perfect.

On my visit to the Kirkland location today, I ordered Plume’s most popular sandwich (grilled pork), one of the new ones (meatball), and a coffee. I also tried the tofu spring rolls.

I found the bread to be pleasantly soft, yet sturdy enough to hold onto the sandwiches’ ingredients; crucial details for this most beloved of street foods. The pickled carrots and daikon radishes leaned more toward the sweet end, with a gentle tang from the vinegar. The grilled pork had been sliced into fat matchstick strips. And the meatballs (made of both ground chicken and pork, steamed to keep them light, and then slow cooked in a light cream tomato sauce), were just the right size to stay in the sandwich yet not crowd out the bahn mi’s signature toppings.

The tofu spring rolls come as an order of two, cut in half. They were large enough that I would see someone ordering these as a “salad for the hands” and calling it a light lunch on its own.

Wall decal at the Kirkland location.

The bahn mi menu board. Each sandwich is available in both sizes, 8- and 12-inches long. Sliced jalapenos are available as a topping, should you be heat-inclined.

To-go bags, ready to go. Nguyen sees potential for Husky fans walking down 25th stopping in for game day banh mi at the new Plume location.

Above, Plume owner Ton Nguyen wraps up my leftovers to go. He plans to open the new location in December. Interested diners can sign up for opening week specials on the Plume Seattle website.

____________________

*A thousand thanks to Scott, my neighborhood banh mi informant.

Filed Under: Food, Photos, Ravenna, Restaurants, University District

Parks and Recreation NE Winter Brochure now available

November 16, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson Leave a Comment

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Winter 2013 Brochure is out! You can find hard copies in your local community center, or click the image below to download a copy of the NE Seattle edition (2.1 MB PDF).

Click the image to download the Seattle Parks and Recreation Winter Brochure for NE Seattle (2.1 MB PDF).

Some highlights/items of note:

The course brochures hereafter will be published only twice a year: One issue for Spring/Summer, and another for Fall/Winter. This is a cost saving decision.
Summer is a looooong ways away, but the information about Summer Camps for 2013 is included in this Winter Brochure (open registration begins on February 5, 2013).
Two new classes of note at our Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center are Introduction to Improv (to be taught by a “seasoned member of the Jet City Improv cast,” and Adult Salsa Classes.
One special event to note is a SOUP SWAP* happening on January 26 (National Soup Swap Day, of course). You bring six quarts of frozen soup, and you go home with six different quarts of soup! Ravenna Blog itself (myself? herself?) is hosting this one, and we’ll have more information on this event as the date approaches. The event is free, minus the cost of whatever homemade soup you’re swapping.

____________

*The first official Ravenna Kale Festival** event!

**More on this later as well.

Filed Under: Events, Families, Food, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

Your Moment of Ravenna Zen: Halloween Muddy Waters Coffee Company

October 27, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 2 Comments

I’m a big fan of the Muddy Waters Coffee at the corner of NE 65th Street and 23rd Avenue NE — not because of the drive-through window, but because they DECORATE.

Here’s the stand today, in its Halloween costume:

He could’ve gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids.

Do YOU have a Moment of Ravenna Zen to share? Email rebecca@ravennablog.com, or use our handy dandy comment form to tell us about it.

Filed Under: Businesses, Food, Moment of Ravenna Zen, Photos, Ravenna, Ravenna Zen

Trick-or-Treat options around NE Seattle (UPDATES)

October 25, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 1 Comment

Friday, October 26

Children’s Home Society of Washington’s 20th Annual Fright Night Trick or Treat Walk in Lake City

Trick or Treat Walk from 5:15-6:15 PM (starts at the CHSW’s North Seattle Family Center (3200 NE 125th St, Suite 2) or the Lake City Computer Lab (12536 33rd Ave NE), then party from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Lake City Community Center (12531 28th Ave NE); sponsored by Lake City Lions Club

Details

Saturday, October 27

Kids Safe Trick or Treat at Roosevelt Businesses
12-3 PM along Roosevelt Way NE and NE 65th Street (look for flyers in participating businesses’ windows); sponsored by Wayward Coffeehouse and participating businesses

Details

Crafts and Facepainting at The Moonpaper Tent
918 NE 64th St in Roosevelt
5-8 PM; FREE but donations appreciated

Details

Roosevelt Trick or Treat Trail and Halloween Bash
5-9 PM, Roosevelt neighborhood businesses; sponsored by the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association and participating businesses (Cafe Racer is one)

Details and a MAP of participating businesses

Wednesday, October 31
HALLOWEEN

Annual Wedgwood Business District Trick-or-Treat
4-6 PM along 35th Avenue NE; sponsored by the Wedgwood Community Council and neighborhood businesses

Details

University Village Trick or Treat

4-6 PM, many stores and restaurants participating (“some treats for parents, too!”)

Details

Filed Under: Businesses, Events, Families, Food, Kids, Northeast Seattle, University Village