NEW weekly feature: Your Moment of Ravenna Zen

April 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As your friendly neighborhood news site, we often come across little bits and pieces of interesting things that we don’t quite know where to put on the site.

This week, we decided that we’ve been hoarding these interesting tidbits for long enough.

Welcome to “Your Moment of Ravenna Zen”* — a (hopefully) weekly look at the little things that make our neighborhood the special place that we know and love.

For this first installment, we bring you 49 seconds of Ravenna Creek, from seacam’s YouTube channel. Enjoy.

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.

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*Yes, keen observers will note that we may have been inspired by a similarly named segment at the tail end of every episode of The Daily Show.

Filed Under: Moment of Ravenna Zen, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Ravenna Zen, Video Tagged With:

Take a tour of the new old Boulevard Grocery (PHOTOS)

April 18, 2012 by 9 Comments

The exterior of the building is still forest green with red trim, but the interior of Boulevard Grocery (2007 NE Ravenna Blvd) has undergone quite a transformation this year.

Since Seven Coffee Roasters’ Sean Lee took over the business around the close of 2011, the barely 800-square-foot neighborhood grocery store has added two more jobs to its own resume: cafe and art space. All three facets seek to tempt both long-time residents and university students alike to come in, enjoy each others’ company, and head home with food and drink for their tables.

We stopped by the 96-year-old-building in January (for the soft open) and again here in April to witness the progress and share it with you here.

From left to right: Owner Sean, Barista Patrick, and Manager Jeff (photo taken at the soft open)

Whole bean Seven Coffee Roaster coffee was first to line the shelves back in January...

...and has since been joined by other goods such as pasta, oatmeal, soup, condiments, and more.

The Four Loko is gone, happily replaced by 22 oz bottles of local beers.

Wall o' wine at the rear of the store.

During our January visit these built-in benches had just been completed. They've since been joined by a large table.

The new pastry case, rife with hand pies from High 5 Pie.

Sandwiches by Blue Saucer in Maple Leaf wait to be purchased for a picnic.

Bread by the Essential Baking Company, delivered every other day.

Free toast with coffee special advertised next to a jar of doggie treats.

Sorry, kitty: No treats for you.

A small flock of origami birds cluster together on a windowsill.

A painting of Boulevard Grocery itself, done by a local.

The Compassion Wizard even hangs out here.

A mixed media work by Narboo (note the plastic soda can rings on the left).

A limited run of handpainted bags on display -- portions of each sale go to the artist, the store, and a charity.

With the beans removed, your coffee bean bag artwork is suitable for framing.

For more on the gallery side of Boulevard Grocery, check out this piece by Lauren Kronebusch of The Daily at the University of Washington: “Boulevard Gallery: View From A Coffee Cup.”

Boulevard Grocery is also holding an artwalk this Friday, April 21st, from 6-9 PM. Works by Greenwood’s Narboo and Starheadboy will be showcased, with live acoustic music.

Filed Under: Businesses, Families, Food, Photos, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, University Park

Ravenna-Bryant Community Association Spring Community Meeting tonight (LIVE COVERAGE)

April 3, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Packed house for last year's RBCA Spring Community Meeting

This evening at 7 PM, the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association holds its Spring Community Meeting at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE), and it’s looking to be a good ‘un.

Speakers include:

Jim Diers: The original Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, and author of Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way. You can read Jim’s full bio on his website.

Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw: CM Bagshaw is currently the Chair of the Parks and Neighborhoods Committee, and will be speaking about Greenways. Read her bio on her Seattle City Council website.

Ravenna Blog will be there! If you cannot attend, follow our live coverage below, or come back and read our notes at your leisure.

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Full disclosure: Ravenna Blog is on the RBCA’s Communications and Community Safety Committee. Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 18 at the Pied Piper Ale House (2404 NE 65th St), start time of 7 PM. You should join us.

Filed Under: City Council, Civic Envolvement, Live Coverage, Meeting, Ravenna, Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

LIVE update on Ravenna Blvd paving from Mayor on Wednesday

March 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Mayor Mike McGinn was live from NE Ravenna Blvd Wednesday morning at 11 AM for a “Ravenna Blvd Paving and Road Maintenance Update.” Watch the archived video below:

Filed Under: Construction, Green Lake, Mayor's Office, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Seattle Department of Transportation, Traffic, Updates, Video

Roosevelt Station project updates and meetings (Monday LIVE COVERAGE)

March 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Lots of nearby North Link Light Rail news to report, including two open houses, building salvage, and fate of “overbuilding” at the Roosevelt Station.

Roosevelt Station Construction Open House

On Monday, March 26, Sound Transit staff will be hosting the Roosevelt Station Construction Open House at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE). The event goes from 6-8:30 PM, with the presentation portion starting at 6:30 PM.

Topics for the meeting include (via Sound Transit email):

Revised construction schedule
Construction noise and the night-time noise variance process
Updated street, sidewalk and parking restrictions
Potential construction mitigation measures

Ravenna Blog will be there covering the event. You can follow along at home on this page for live coverage, or come back later to read our notes at your leisure.

Roosevelt Station 60% Design Open House

On Wednesday, April 11, Sound Transit will be holding the Roosevelt Station 60% Design Open House in the Roosevelt High School Commons (1410 NE 66th St). Initial art concepts will also be presented (you may remember that the Meet the Artist event in January was canceled due to snow). This open house also runs from 6-8:30 PM, with the presentation starting at 6:30 PM.

One part of that 60% design that we will not be seeing is any “overbuilding” of the station itself.

Sound Transit Decision on Roosevelt Station “Overbuilding”

At their February 23 meeting, Sound Transit board members were “presented recent analysis of the technical, financial and housing capacity implications of accommodating residential structures directly above the future underground Roosevelt Station.” Benefits and costs to “overbuilding” were discussed, but the board ultimately confirmed that the design of Roosevelt Station should proceed without providing accommodations for overbuilding the station entrance.

Sound Transit Board meetings are archived here, should you want to watch the “overbuild” discussion (though the player may not work on your mobile device).

Station Site Salvaging Begins

In other North Link news, Sound Transit says that building salvaging is underway at both the Roosevelt and Brooklyn* Station sites (though a drive-by of the Roosevelt Station sign on Sunday showed that the neon Standard Radio sign was still in place).

Visit Sound Transit’s Flickr photostream to see pictures of current salvaging at the Brooklyn Station site, as well as happenings all along the Light Rail route.

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*We’ll be calling the University District station “Brooklyn Station” as long as Sound Transit does.

Filed Under: Construction, Light Rail, Live Coverage, Meeting, Ravenna, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, Roosevelt

One dead after early morning shooting in Ravenna Park (UPDATE)

March 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

UPDATE (Sunday, March 11): The Seattle P-I’s Casey McNerthney reports that the suspect arrested for the shooting was the shooter himself. He is being held on $500,000 bail and will be charged on Monday, March 12.

You can read more about the Ravenna Park shooting suspect on the Seattle P-I’s Seattle 911 blog.

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One man is dead after a shooting near the Ravenna Park Softball Fields. One man is in custody at this time, and police are looking for two others.


View Ravenna Park Shooting in a larger map

From the Seattle Police Department blotter:

On 3/8/12, at approximately 4:15 a.m., a man was shot in Ravenna Park (55 NE and NE 25th). The victim, a man 40-50 years old, suffered a gunshot wound to the upper left-arm chest area. He is being transported to Harborview Medical Center by Seattle Fire Medics with life threatening injuries.

…

According to witnesses, the 3 suspects came into the park and an argument ensued between the suspects and victim. The victim challenged the suspect at which point the suspect fired upon the victim. Unknown how may shots were fired.

The suspects ran off W/B from that location. Nothing further on the suspects.

The injured man was taken to Harborview Medical Center where he has since died of his injuries.

We will update this post as more information becomes known.

This is the second violent attack this year in Ravenna Park: A man and woman were beaten with a baseball bat on the morning of January 12.

Filed Under: 911, Crime, Ravenna, Ravenna Park, Seattle Police Department, Updates

Red Card: Luna the Soccer Dog stolen Saturday night (FOUND)

March 4, 2012 by 5 Comments

UPDATE (Monday, March 5, 2:42 PM): Confirmation from Anita that Luna has been found!

Yes — the fliers and announcements worked and someone took the dog away from the woman who had stolen her — called us and we got her back on the Ave this morning.

UPDATE (Monday, March 5, 9:21 AM): We now have a description of Luna’s abductor (via email from Anita):

The SPD has confirmed that Luna was spotted with a known transient female — Renee Gundersen — on the ave today. Ms. Gundersen is a known addict and has reddish hair, freckles, is very gaunt and wears clothes that are too big/look like they are hanging off of her. She and her boyfriend move between the U District and Capitol Hill. They do hang out around the U District Safeway, Jack in the Box, around 50th and the Ave.

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Luna the Soccer Dog / Photo courtesy Anita Ramasastry

Sounders fans may already be familiar with Luna the Soccer Dog, but now her owners are asking everyone to keep an eye out for her (emphasis mine):

Bring Luna home.  Luna the Soccer Dog appears to have been stolen from outside her Seattle university area home about 5.30 p.m., Saturday, March 3, 2012.  Female Kelpie mix (border collie with dingo ears), black coat, white vest, four white socks, 30lbs.  Wearing tag showing her address (5810 16th Ave, N.E.) and phone (206) 729-8322.  She responds to her name Luna. Responds uniquely to commands including “Pass the Soccer Balls” and “Play Soccer, Luna.”

An eyewitness saw Luna the Soccer Dog being taken by a young white woman, brown hair, in her 20s, who led her in the direction of Ravenna Park.  GENEROUS REWARD For information leading to Luna’s safe return, no questions asked.  Contact above phone (206) 729-8322 or address or email ramawawa1@msn.com.

Luna’s amazing soccer skills have thrilled thousands before Sounders games and in countless other exhibitions (Seattle Weekly YouTube video). Described as World’s Greatest Four-Legged Soccer Player.  BRING LUNA THE SOCCER DOG HOME!

Here’s a map of the area around Luna’s house:


View Luna the Soccer Dog stolen in a larger map

And here’s that Seattle Weekly video she mentioned (from this 2009 SW story):

Filed Under: Crime, Lost/Found, Ravenna, Roosevelt, University District, Updates Tagged With: , , ,

Collision on 25th Ave NE sends SUV into yard (PHOTOS)

March 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Picture of the scene from a neighbor, received via twitter

At approximately 2:17 PM, Seattle Fire Department units responded to a Heavy Rescue call just south of the intersection of NE 65th St and 25th Ave NE. A car and an SUV had collided, sending the SUV up over the sidewalk on the west side of 25th Ave NE and onto a residence’s front yard.

Photo by John Eddy

Seattle Fire Department PIO Kyle Moore said that one person was taken out of the SUV and was conscious. A bystander at the scene reported that the SUV occupant “was going off in a neck brace in the ambulance,” and that the other car “had damage to the left rear quarter.”

Photo by John Eddy

Thank you to Duncan, John, and Eric for their information gathering assistance for this post.

Filed Under: 911, Photos, Ravenna, Seattle Fire Department, Traffic

I Love Ravenna (OPEN THREAD)

February 14, 2012 by 4 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day, neighborhood!

We’d love to hear what you love most about Ravenna, down in our comments section. Because we love to hear from you. (Also, because we’ve changed some settings in our comments section, and we’d really like you to give it a test drive.)

P.S. With the redesign, the comments link is now at the top of each post, just under the headline. xoxo

Filed Under: metablog, Ravenna

Eckstein Bikes, 35th Ave NE planning – Ravenna Blog Sunday Edition

February 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Bryant, Eckstein Middle School, Green Lake, Meeting, Ravenna, Seattle Fire Department, Sunday Edition, University District, University of Washington, Wedgwood Community Council
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