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You really couldn't ask for a better day for a neighborhood fair. Hundreds of families showed up for Saturday's Madrona Mayfair, which kicked off in the morning with a kids bike and tricycle parade down 34th Ave.
Festivities at Madrona Playfield continue until the evening. See our previous post for a schedule of events.
Attached are some photos from the fair. Feel free to add yours in the comments!
Previous
Madrona K-8 enrollment peaked six years ago. Today, the student body has declined by 160 students.
Much of the enrollment decline is due to parents sending their children to other private and public schools. Due to continually poor test results, students within the Madrona K-8 area can enroll in other SPS schools. But some of the troubles also stem from racial tension at the 15-percent-white school, KUOW reports.
Below is an excerpt of the radio story. You can listen to the full story on KUOW's website.
From KUOW:
The school principal suggests low test scores scare some parents away. She admits those need to improve. Also, the school fails to meet federal requirements for yearly progress. So, students assigned here can pick a different school if they want.
Besides all that, Karin Richard sees another possible reason for low enrollment. Something she calls "playground chatter."
Richard: "I had a friend who said she'd moved to Madrona and within the first three weeks of being here at the playground she said she'd heard everything about the school."
Her friend heard things like the school doesn't have an arts program. There's not much recess. That advanced kids don't get enough attention.
Richard: "And none of it was true."
Richard started her networking in the park to set the record straight.
Next Saturday, May 12 is the annual Madrona Mayfair and Block Party celebration. This year, the festivities begin with a pancake breakfast at Madrona K8 starting at 8am. The parade begins at 9:30 at Al Larkins park at 34th & Pike. There will be pony rides, face painting, an obstacle course and bouncy houses along with a bake sale, Pritty Boy's pizza, hot dogs and St. Clouds fare.
EDITOR'S UPDATE: Here's the schedule of events:
Madrona Mayfair Block PartyA special Madrona day with events to suit every age group. Events rain or shine.
Friday, May 11
4:00-5:00 - Bike and Trike Decorating at the Shelterhouse. Decorations provided!
Saturday May 12
8:00-9:15 - Madrona K-8 Breakfast & Last Minute Bike/Trike Decorating
9:15 - Parade Line Up at Al Larkins Park 9:30 - Parade Begins
9:30-12:00 - Bouncy house, pony rides, bake sale, face painting, an obstacle course,
The Reptile Man, Charles the Clown, food and more in the Madrona Playfield
Enjoy food, fun, and music all afternoon
Amara Parking Lot Performances 12:00 - The Not-Its! - America’s Most Rockin’
Indie Band
1:00 - Le Cancer
2:00 - GOD
3:00 - TBA
4:00 - Ethan Freckleton 5:00 - Autumn Electricity
Bottlehouse Performances 12:00 - Band of Guitars
1:00 - A Cedar Suede 2:00 - TBA
3:00 - Last Great Fire 4:00 - TBA
5:00 - Jazz Group
We'd like to thank our sponsors and neighbor- hood businesses for helping make the Madrona Mayfair Block Party a successful event: Primary Sponsors:
Madrona Community Council and Business Owners of Madrona. Also Ewing & Clark; Harvard Avenue Preschool; Madrona Fam- ily Dental; Lakeview Orthodontics; Madrona Dining and Sipping Society
Supporting sponsors:
Cleanscapes; Cupcake Royale: St. Cloud's; Meter Music; Seattle Gymnastics;
Seattle Parks and Recreation, Tougo Coffee, Girlie Press, Key Bank, Bottlehouse, Nena
Editor's Note: Due to illness at CDNews HQ we've been running on low bandwidth the past couple days. This is a friendly reminder that anyone can post to CDNews or to the CDNews Events Calendar. Thanks
You have until May 1st to order your Madrona Mayfair shirts. This year's festival is Saturday May 12 and you cannot buy t-shirts there. Sales of the shirts support the annual spring fair.
Mayfair schedule (h/t Barbara Parker at Madrona News):
Madrona Mayfair Block PartyA special Madrona day with events to suit every age group. Events rain or shine.
Friday, May 11
4:00-5:00 - Bike and Trike Decorating at the Shelterhouse. Decorations provided!
Saturday May 12
8:00-9:15 - Madrona K-8 Breakfast & Last Minute Bike/Trike Decorating
9:15 - Parade Line Up at Al Larkins Park 9:30 - Parade Begins
9:30-12:00 - Bouncy house, pony rides, bake sale, face painting, an obstacle course,
The Reptile Man, Charles the Clown, food and more in the Madrona Playfield
Enjoy food, fun, and music all afternoon
Amara Parking Lot Performances 12:00 - The Not-Its! - America’s Most Rockin’
Indie Band
1:00 - Le Cancer
2:00 - GOD
3:00 - TBA
4:00 - Ethan Freckleton 5:00 - Autumn Electricity
Bottlehouse Performances 12:00 - Band of Guitars
1:00 - A Cedar Suede 2:00 - TBA
3:00 - Last Great Fire 4:00 - TBA
5:00 - Jazz Group
We'd like to thank our sponsors and neighbor- hood businesses for helping make the Madrona Mayfair Block Party a successful event: Primary Sponsors:
Madrona Community Council and Business Owners of Madrona. Also Ewing & Clark; Harvard Avenue Preschool; Madrona Fam- ily Dental; Lakeview Orthodontics; Madrona Dining and Sipping Society
Supporting sponsors:
Cleanscapes; Cupcake Royale: St. Cloud's; Meter Music; Seattle Gymnastics;
Seattle Parks and Recreation, Tougo Coffee, Girlie Press, Key Bank, Bottlehouse, Nena
I lost my son's knitted blanket, my mom made it. Lost it on 32nd between Spring and Union on Sunday April 1st around 8:30 AM. Attached is a picture of what it looks like, although mine is a darker sage green. Offering reward for it's return. Please respond to this post if you have it or know where to find it...
As the Molly Moon's micro shop get's ready to open for its second year inside the Madrona Laundromat May 1, the company announces some small renovations that will allow the small shop to scoop five flavors of ice cream and serve them in their house-made waffle cones. Last summer, the 34th and Union shop only sold pre-packaged scoops in cups as well as their pints, sorbet-sicles and ice cream sandwiches.
From Molly Moon's:
The Molly Moon's seasonal pop-up shop located at 1408 34th Ave in Madrona is slated to re-open Tuesday, May 1! Madrona residents are sure to be delighted as this mini Molly Moon's has undergone a mini renovation. We've added an ice cream dipping cabinet and will offer five flavors (four "always" and one seasonal) available for scoops in cups and house-made waffle cones! Sundaes, milkshakes hand-packed pints and Molly Moon's signature ice cream sandwiches are also featured on the menu at Molly Moon's Madrona, which will be open daily from 12-noon to 10 p.m.
I know some of you have been counting down the days until Madrona Neighborhood Appreciation Day since Christmas, and it's almost here. The 2012 Madrona Neighborhood Appreciation Day celebration starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Madrona K-8 Library.
The celebration is a chance to honor some of the people in the community and the school who have had an impact in the past year.
From the Madrona Community Council:
This event is a joint effort between school and community, and celebrates Neighborhood Appreciation Day by bestowing four neighborhood awards and multiple school awards for staff, teachers and students. Visit the Madrona Neighborhood page or click here download a PDF list of past winners in all neighborhood and MK8 school categories. All awards will be presented at Neighborhood and School appreciation day on Saturday March 24, 2012.
Help make Neighborhood Appreciation Day Sweeter!
Attendees are requested to contribute 1-2 dozen of your family-favorite baked goods, to help celebrate our appreciation for our neighbors and our school. Goodies can be brought with you to the event at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24
th, or dropped off on Friday, March 23rd at the Volunteer Office at Madrona School.
Afterwards, you can wander over to Madrona Wine Merchants for an "Intriguing Italian Wine" tasting, which starts at 2. More info from the CDNews event post.
Madrona's newest restaurant is almost ready to serve up a "hyperseasonal" menu on 34th Ave. Restaurant Bea will officially open March 30, though there will likely be a few soft openings before then.
Bea (pronounced "bee") is looking to be "first and foremost, a neighborhood restaurant," said Kate Perry, who owns Bea along with chef Tom Black. We talked in the under-construction restaurant. The floral wallpaper gives a cozy, home cooking feeling, which is what Pery and Black want.
"We want to be a fixture in the neighborhood," said Perry.
Bea will serve dinner-only to start, but hope to add brunch a little down the road. Their menu will change often depending on what is in season.
"We'll try to use what's available, trying to utilize as much local food as possible," said Black. That means using whatever fish the fishermen have that day and produce that's ready for harvesting. Therefore, some menu items might stick around for a while, but others may be gone as quickly as they were added.
The restaurant takes over the space formerly occupied by June. But the inside is getting an extensive makeover, and the bar area will be significantly larger than it was previously. Happy Hour will go from 4-6, but they do not have plans to stay open late.
They are also renovating a private seating area in the back of the restaurant (see photo) that can fit parties of around 20, and they hope to open a patio space in the summer.
Both Perry and Black live within a few blocks of Bea, and they have been kicking around the idea of opening a spot in Madrona for a while.
"I've enjoyed a long career of opening up places for other people," said Black. "We found a way to open a restaurant the way we want it to be and where we want it to be."
They plan to open at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for happy hour. Dinner service starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday.
Join us on Tuesday, February 7, at 7:15 at the Madrona Playfield Shelterhouse for the Madrona Community Council meeting where you can visit with neighbors, share your ideas and concerns, and find out more about the goings-on in the neighborhood.
The meeting's agenda includes a discussion about tree removal and developing a streetscape plan for 34th Ave, with SDOT attending; a discussion with King County Metro about the proposed #2 bus route changes; and planning for this year's neighborhood appreciation day.
See you there!
Two men attempted to rob a woman at 32nd and Cherry around 7:30 p.m. January 24 by tricking her into pulling over, then threatening her with a handgun.
A person driving by saw the victim waving for help and stopped. The helper posted about the experience on the Madrona Moms email list:
Just thought everyone might want to know about a carjacking that took place on Cherry Tuesday night. I was driving home from Madison Park on Tuesday night around 7pm, when I noticed a woman waving me down just before the corner of 34th and Cherry. I slowed down and rolled down my window slightly and she informed me that she had just been carjacked. I pulled over and helped her call her husband and the police.
Police confirmed the poster's account of the attempted robbery. The victim was driving eastbound on Cherry when a car bumped into her from behind near 32nd Ave. She pulled over as did the suspect's vehicle.
Two black males in their early 20s got out of the car and approached her. One of them was holding a handgun, which he tapped on her window. They told her to put all her belongings on the seat and get out of the car, which she did.
However, her car had a keyless starter, which was on her person when she fled. This prevented the thieves from stealing the car.
She tried to flag cars down, but several passed without stopping before the Madrona Moms poster came along. She then called the police and her husband. The victim was visibly shaken when police arrived.
Robbery units are investigating, but police had few suspect or vehicle details.
Madrona's iconic adobe gas station at 34th and Pike is on the way out to make way for a mixed-use residential and retail building. There will be a celebration Saturday from 6-9 p.m. saying goodbye to the former Madrona Auto buildings and hello to the new development.
CDN reported in 2008 that plans for the new development received a fairly warm community response during a design review meeting.The three-story building will have seven residential units. Six of the units will be "live-work" units, meaning residents will also have a retail space on the ground level.
Today
"The intention is that you live above your shop," said Susan Jones of atelierjones, the project architect. Jones said building planners will be at the party Saturday to answer any questions about the project.
All units in the building will have roof deck agriculture space and other green building features. It also has a south-facing courtyard "for art, kids and life," she said.
Artist's rendition of planned project
The project has been on hold since 2008 due to a lack of available financing. But now, money is starting to flow again, and the project is moving forward.
Permits were granted this week, and the project should be finished in twelve months.
Poster for Saturday's party:
More design details: DRProposal3007213AgendaID2224
Seattle Fire responded to a report of smoke and a small fire in the upstairs bedroom of a 32nd and Cherry home shortly before 1:30 p.m. Monday.
The fire, possibly a mattress fire, was put out about ten minutes after the call went out.
We'll update as we learn more.
A home at 29th and Marion suffered $55,000 in damage in an early Wednesday morning attic fire started by overheated wiring. According to Seattle Fire, a family of three was displaced by the fire.
Investigators believe an overheated electrical line in the attic ignited the wood joists and rafters causing damage to the roof and attic space.
Seattle Fire crews arrived to find smoke coming from the attic of the one-story home at 829 29th Ave just after 3:20a. The fire was brought under control in under 30 minutes. All three occupants safely evacuated before the first fire engine arrived.
A Seattle Fire Investigator determined the fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage to the structure and $5,000 in damage to the contents. There were no reported injuries.
Crews were to remain on scene of the fire until noon to ensure it does not reignite.
Original Report: Emergency crews responded to a house fire near 29th and Marion early Wednesday morning.
Seattle Fire arrived to find smoke coming from the attic of the one-story home at 829 29th Ave just after 3:20a. The fire appeared to be under control within 20 minutes.
There were no immediate reports of injuries at the scene.
Police expected to be on the scene for another hour to close off streets as crews mopped up and investigated the fire.
Rescued a pretty gray and white female tabby Christmas day who was stuck in tree at 33rd and Marion. Too scared to find it's way home.
Please call or email if you have any info about owner: 206-650-3726 karen@moskowitz.com
Video of the rescue:
In the battle for valuable urban space, the tree often defeats the sidewalk. That's what happened on 34th Ave in Madrona, where SDOT recently cut down a block or so of red sunset maples.
The trees were chopped down in order to repave the sidewalk, which had been demolished by tree roots. With the new ADA-compliant sidewalk in place, SDOT says they have planted two trees for each one cut down, and the new trees have enough space from the sidewalk to thrive.
The project, however, has stirred some controversy as the large trees were cut down. A young tree is not the same as an old tree, and the tree canopy along the street will not return for many years. SDOT says the sidewalk was irreparable because the trees were planted in too small of a space.
Here are a couple before-and-after shots from SDOT:
Before
After
This fall SDOT replaced the uplifted, crumbling sidewalks along most of the 900 block of 34th Ave with new, flat, smooth sidewalks. The project is on 34th Ave, south of E Spring St, across the street from Playground, and just south of the business district. You may know it simply as ”the block diagonally across from Cupcake .”
About 35 years ago nearly 100 Red Sunset Maples were planted along 34th Ave between E Pike and E Cherry. These trees are now too large for their narrow planting space next to the sidewalk, so their roots often lift up and damage the sidewalk. SDOT has done many spot repairs, or “shims” to the sidewalks but some sidewalks are beyond the point where we can continue such fixes while preserving the trees in such a narrow growing space.
The result was a damaged sidewalk that limited access for many members of the community–people using strollers, people using wheelchairs and more. This is an important walking corridor because it’s along a bus route, it leads to the neighborhood business district and connects to schools, the library and parks.
SDOT staff from sidewalk repair and urban forestry determined that the best plan for the long run was to rebuild the sidewalk and remove nine trees on this block (and replace them with 18 new trees nearby) so that the trees do not damage our investment in the new sidewalk. We would prefer to never remove trees, but in some cases there is just not enough room in the right-of-way for the sidewalk and the tree to co-exist. It’s kind of like where it would be nice to install a bike lane, but the street is only wide enough to accommodate a sharrow. When SDOT removes a tree, we replace it with two trees, and plant them as close to the removed tree as possible. In the long run, we have a repaired sidewalk that will last a very long time, and we have trees planted in the right place with enough space for them to thrive.
June at 34th and Pike in Madrona has closed, but a new restaurant is set to take its place.
June opened in May 2010 in the space formerly occupied by Cremant. June was a French-inspired restaurant headed by chef Vuong Loc, who also owns the Queen Anne French bistro Portage.
Restaurant Bea will take it's place, and plans to open by February.
From Hanna Raskin at the Weekly:
The restaurant venue vacated by June won't sit empty for long: Tom Black and Kate Perry are aiming to open Restaurant Bea in the space by February.Perry describes the forthcoming restaurant as "laid-back but polished."
"We're pairing Tom's amazing food with impeccable service and a spirited ambiance for our community in Madrona and food lovers around the city," Perry e-mails.
Found a large male Airedale Terrier-type dog lingering in front of my house. He has a purple collar, but no tags. His face has a cut on one side. I have him fenced in my yard to avoid further injury, but I will not be able to bring him inside the house and will unfortunately have to involve animal control this evening if he is not claimed. Please contact me if you recognize this description. 206-913-2510 or 206-218-9885 or via email at crastayo@yahoo.com Thanks.
From the Madrona Community Council:
The Madrona Community Council invites all community members to its next meeting on Tuesday, December 6, at 7:15 at the Madrona Playfield Shelterhouse. The Streetscape-tree removal subcommittee will provide an update on the 34th Ave corridor, and we'll discuss emergency preparedness plans in Madrona. Please see the full agenda below.
- Streetscape –tree removal subcommittee update (Dave Allen to attend Jan mtg. for feedback on tree removal)
- Neighborhood emergency preparedness meeting planning (SNAP program)
- Wine tasting event recap--proceeds, next steps, suggestions
- Fund-raising and event planning for 2012
- Vote in new board member - Barbara Parker
- Crime update
- Other business
Emergency responders were called to a parking lot at 34th and Union in Madrona around 6:30 a.m. this morning. We are still working to find out more, but a tipster sent CDN a photo from the scene.
The tipster said a body was taken from the scene by the coroner, and SPD was taking pictures of a white Toyota 4Runner.
We will update as we learn more.
The units that responded are no longer on duty, so Seattle Fire does not have more information at this time.
The Madrona Community Council invites all community members to its next meeting on Tuesday, November 1, at 7:15 at Vérité Coffee (1101 34th Ave at Spring). Among the issues up for discussion are recent criminal activity in the neighborhood (SPD representatives will address recent events and answer questions) and the formation of a streetscape-tree removal committee. MCC officer elections will also take place. Please see the full agenda below.
-Recent criminal activity in Madrona – SPD community officer and burglary detective
-Sustainable works/ Community Powers works – Richard Wells
-Forming committee for streetscape plan/ street tree removal
-MCC officer elections
-Council business: wine tasting event update, brass rings update; board member contact information and officers on MCC Web site; support of Madrona K-8; missing Peaceable Kingdom sign
With a focus on "wine you can drink every day," Madrona Wine Merchants opens its doors today (October 26) on 34th Ave just south of Union. "It may not be grand," they said in a post on their website, but they are stocked and open.
As a partner in European Vine Selections on 15th Ave for about seven years, Madrona Wine Merchants co-founder Jim Maloney, who lives just down the hill from the new shop, saw the neighborhood as the perfect place to start a new venture.
"I watched the neighborhood grow, and it looked like a good spot," he said. He and partner Mark Souder looked at several spots around the city, but sticking close to home seemed to make sense. "Why do that when you can do it right in your own backyard?" said Maloney.
The shop aims simply to sell "wines from all over the world that we like," he said. They will have bottles starting around $8 or so, but their focus will be on the $10-20 range.
"Everyone likes the special occasion bottle, but you can't drink it every day."
Once the shop gets settled, they will host afternoon tastings on Saturdays.
Shop hours are Wednesday-Friday from noon to 7, Saturday from 11-7 and Sunday 11-5.
On the heels of a story in the New York Times, Madrona-headquartered Glassybaby and its founder Lee Rhodes were featured in the Seattle Times recently. Over a meal at the Hi-Spot Cafe on 34th Ave, Rhodes and reporter Blythe Lawrence talked about Rhodes' inspiration for the glass votive endeavor and it's unlikely success despite going against several standards of business.
Glassybaby has seen a big rise in sales and recently added two more ovens to the Madrona shop.
Glassybaby's translucent, gently curved votives now come in more than 400 colors, and last year the company's sales jumped by half to $3.8 million.Martha Stewart is a fan, and local celebrities, including Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, have stopped into one of Glassybaby's three Seattle-area locations to offer encouragement and admiration. Bezos was so impressed that he purchased a stake in the company.
So far this year, sales have been up more than 35 percent, and the company expects to top $6 million in 2011. To meet the continued demand, Glassybaby recently added two ovens to its Madrona hot shop, doubling potential output.
For all that, Rhodes is still slightly self-deprecating about Glassybaby's success. "Most entrepreneurs are super smart," she said recently over breakfast at Madrona's Hi-Spot Cafe. "They know what they're going to do and they have it written down in a business plan. For me it was just entirely different."
Bring the kiddies in their costumes! A ghoully good time! Over 300 families attended last year's Halloween Carnival at St. Therese Catholic School, and this year's should be another fun event for those with younger children who want a daytime activity!
Held at the school on October 29th, from 10:30-2:30, the carnival raises funds for school scholarships through games and activities, though admission is free. Planned events include bouncy houses, a fish pond, crafts and more, with a planned visit from the Seattle Fire Department at 11am.
Additionally, there will also be healthy snacks, hot dogs, popcorn and a raffle for a $50 meat pack certificate and gift certificates from local restaurants!
From the Madrona Community Council:
Join us on Tuesday, October 4, at 7:15 at the Madrona Playfield Shelterhouse for the Madrona Community Council meeting where you can visit with neighbors, share your ideas and concerns, and find out more about the goings-on in the neighborhood.The meeting's agenda includes discussion of the upcoming Halloween Party and Wine Tasting events; SDOT's plan for sidewalk repair/tree removal; potential ways to support Madrona K-8 school; and council business, including open nominations for officer elections.
