By Joe Veyera

A new cafe and bakery has opened in the former B&O Espresso location at 5404 Leary Ave NW, run by a former longtime program/teen director at the Ballard Boys & Girls Club. 

Alison Soike opened Alison’s Coastal Cafe & Bakery in late June, just four months after B&O said goodbye after two years in the neighborhood. 

“I love this community and the people that make it up,” Soike said in an email. “I love working with kids and I love making food.”

Soike, who has had her own catering business for the last three years, said that after what she called drastic changes at the Boys & Girls Club, she decided to pursue another passion.  

“This place will allow me to continue working with the teen population in a job training/mentorship role and allow me to create amazing food for people!” Soike said.

Open from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays), Soike said the cafe will serve breakfast all day, and also boasts a “kickin’ sandwich lunch menu,” along with offering specialty desserts and catering.

When asked what her pitch would be to local residents to try her new space, Soike noted her community ties.

“We are a part of the family here in Ballard and we want our cafe to feel like home!” Soike said. “Come in for good comfort food like your mamma makes, good people and a great experience.”

For more information on the new cafe, visit them on Facebook, Twitter, or Yelp.

(Photos courtesy of Alison Soike)

By Joe Veyera

City Fruit is accepting applications through Friday for its ambassador program, which will give local residents the opportunity to serve as the face and voice of the organization in their neighborhood.

An organization that promotes the cultivation of urban fruit trees in the city, City Fruit currently operates in five Seattle neighborhoods, including Ballard, and is seeking volunteers that will be responsible for working within their neighborhood to raise awareness about Seattle’s urban orchards, City Fruit’s annual harvest (which brought in 10,017 pounds of produce in 2013) and sharing fruit with those in need.

The work ambassadors do over the course of a year will change on a month to month basis, depending on the skills and interests of each individual. In their pitch to potential volunteers on their website, City Fruit noted:

For example, say you live in Ballard and really love the idea of attending some neighborhood volunteer harvests with City Fruit. You could take your involvement a step further and instead of volunteering with City Fruit during an occasional Ballard volunteer harvest, you can be a City Fruit Ambassador and lead a monthly volunteer harvest with a few neighbors/friends in Ballard. City Fruit would support you in your endeavors by providing you with everything necessary to make your time as an Ambassador a success!

Ballard is one of two neighborhoods added by City Fruit for 2014, along with Wallingford.

For more information on the ambassador program, and to apply, click here. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday.

By Joe Veyera

Trivia nights at The Old Pequliar (1722 NW Market St) are hardly a new development. But this Tuesday night, participants can get in on the fun while knowing they’re giving to a worthy cause.

All participants are asked to make a $5 donation, with the proceeds going to the Friends of the Children, an organization that connects children from distressed neighborhoods with paid, full-time professional mentors. The proceeds will also help the program cover other expenses, including school supplies, healthy snacks, educational outings, and family functions such as the group’s holiday party and back-to-school social. Friends of the Children was founded in Portland in 1993, with the King County chapter opening in 2000.

“If your team is the wisest, you could win a small prize,” reads a post on the event’s Facebook page. “If not, you’ll nevertheless be satisfied knowing that the money you donated will directly ensure Friends of the Children’s long-term commitment to the youth in our mentorship program.”

For more information on the event, which will be hosted by a Geeks Who Drink quizmaster, click here.

By Joe Veyera

Our news partners at The Seattle Times have reported the names of an elderly woman who was shot and killed by her son (a Ballard resident), who then took his own life at a retirement community in Ravenna earlier this month.

According to The Times, citing the King County Medical Examiner:

Annie McClure, 83, died from a gunshot wound to the head and her death was ruled a homicide. Her son, William T. McClure, 57, also died from a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a suicide, according to death investigators.

In a Seattle Police Department blotter post on July 18,

Police received a report from the man’s family around 2 PM that the man had left his Ballard home after indicating he was contemplating suicide. A short time later, police received a second call from the family indicating the man may have headed for his elderly mother’s assisted living facility in the Ravenna neighborhood, with plans to harm her.

As officers headed to the Ida Culver House in Ravenna, nursing home staff went to check on the elderly resident, and found the two deceased.

For full details on the incident, visit Ravenna Blog’s stream of updates on the incident here.

By Joe Veyera

Ballardites are invited to stop by Commodore Park (3330 W Commodore Way) on Saturday morning, as the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed work toward restoring the ship canal shoreline park through the Green Seattle Partnership.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will be removing invasive weeds from the park just south of the Ballard Locks in preparation for the planting of native species in the fall.

Both during and after the event, volunteers can visit the Locks to see salmon passing through the fish ladder on their way to Lake Washington. Volunteer naturalists will be stationed on the south side of the Locks to educate visitors about life cycle and habitat needs of returning salmon.

Anyone planning on attending is strongly urged to sign up beforehand, to give organizers an idea of the amount of supplies needed. To sign up, click here or email amy@cedarriver.org.

By Joe Veyera

The Ballard High School boys basketball program will host a car wash this Saturday to raise money for the upcoming season.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., team members will be stationed at the Shell gas station at 3317 West Government Way (on the way to Discovery Park in Magnolia). Donations of all amounts will be accepted.

“Because the Seattle Public Schools DO NOT FUND individual sports teams, this fundraiser is one of the chances for our local team to raise funds to pay for uniforms, team camps, travel (buses to games during season), and team scholarships,” Ballard High coach Jamie Quick wrote in an email.

The Beavers have made the playoffs each of the past six seasons under head coach (and Ballard High alumnus) Billy Rodgers, and the program has sent 10 players to college (from junior college to Division I) to play basketball and continue their educations. The team has posted an average GPA of 3.1.

“Aside from developing basketball skills, the BHS program focuses on developing smart, dedicated, committed young men that will thrive in their lives beyond Ballard High and the basketball court,” Quick wrote.

By Joe Veyera

It’s shaping up to be another busy weekend in Ballard! Take a look at what the neighborhood has to offer.

Friday, July 25

• Black Tie Productions presents Emerald City at the Ballard High School Performing Arts Center (1418 NW 65th St) at 7 p.m. A musical comedy featuring the trials of a newly-minted college graduate from North Dakota is invited by Microsoft to work in Seattle. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $10 for students.
• “The Comedy of Errors” at Salmon Bay Park (2001 NW Canoe Pl) at 7 p.m. GreenStage presents its abridged version of this Shakespeare classic. Admission is free. Click here for more details.
• Live Music at Conor Byrne Pub (5140 Ballard Ave NW) at 9 p.m. Featuring Cloud Person, The Love and Stress Compound, and Made of Boxes. Tickets are $8. For more information, click here.
• Live Music at Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW) at 9:30 p.m. Featuring The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Redneck Girlfriend, and Betsy Olson. Tickets are $16. 21 and over. For more information, click here.

Saturday, July 26

• Greater Seattle Fuchsia Society Flower Show at the Ballard Locks from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A wide variety of fuchsias take over the nursery, from bonsai and trees to hanging baskets and wall boxes. Click here for more information.
• Crown Hill Neighborhood Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dozens of homes are set to participate in this eighth annual event. For more information, click here.
• Spectacular Summer Containers at Swansons Nursery (9710 15th Ave NW) from 10 to 11 a.m. Swansons’ plant expert and enthusiast, Kathy Boullin, will share her ideas for creating colorful containers that will last from summer to early fall. Click here for more information.
• Summer Concerts at the Ballard Locks featuring the Coal Creek Jazz Band, and their Dixieland sound. The show starts at 2 p.m. on the Ballard Locks lawn. Click here to see the full summer schedule.
• Daniel James Brown at the Ballard Library (5614 22nd Ave NW) from 2 to 3:15 p.m. Brown is set to read from his book, “The Boys in the Boat,” on the 1936 University of Washington crew team and their push for a gold medal. Admission is free. For more information, click here.
• Live Music at Populuxe Brewing (826B NW 49th St) from 6 to 9 p.m. Shelley Casey opens for Station Wagon. Admission is free. Click here for more information.
• Black Tie Productions presents Emerald City at the Ballard High School Performing Arts Center (1418 NW 65th St) at 7 p.m. A musical comedy featuring the trials of a newly-minted college graduate from North Dakota is invited by Microsoft to work in Seattle. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $10 for students.
• Theatre Machine Fundraiser at Conor Byrne Pub (5140 Ballard Ave NW) at 9:30 p.m. Featuring Fall of 1920 and Argentina Weeps. Tickets are $10. For more information, click here.
• The Red Elvises at the Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW) at 9:30 p.m. This Russian-American band performs its brand of funk-rock, along with surf, rockabilly, reggae, folk-rock and traditional Russian styles of music Tickets are $15. 21 and over. For more information, click here.

Sunday, July 27

• Ballard Farmers Market along Ballard Ave from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Click here to see this week’s specials.
• Water Like a Pro Seminar at Swansons Nursery (9710 15th Ave NW) from 11 a.m. to noon. Swanson’s Gabriel Maki explains how much and how often to water your plants in this climate, and will also help attendees select tools to craft the right watering system specific for your garden’s plants. Click here for more information.
• Summer Concerts at the Ballard Locks featuring the Letter Carriers Band & Fraternal Order of Eagles, performing contemporary big band music. The show starts at 2 p.m. on the Ballard Locks lawn. Click here to see the full summer schedule.
• Fairy Garden Workshop at Swansons Nursery (9710 15th Ave NW) from 2 to 3 p.m. Karen Eddy and Theresa Venice will show kids to make their own Fairy Garden. The workshop’s fee of $25 includes a terracotta bowl, soil, and plants for either an indoor or outdoor garden. Click here for more information.
• Black Tie Productions presents Emerald City at the Ballard High School Performing Arts Center (1418 NW 65th St) at 2 p.m. A musical comedy featuring the trials of a newly-minted college graduate from North Dakota is invited by Microsoft to work in Seattle. Tickets are $20 for adults, and $10 for students.
• Sunday Family Funday at Populuxe Brewing (826B NW 49th St) from 2 to 5 p.m. While adults can take in one of the brewery’s locally crafted beers, both children and their parents can take in an array of activities, along with food and live music. For more information, click here.
• Live Music at Tractor Tavern (5213 Ballard Ave NW) at 8:30 p.m. Featuring Denver, Low Hums, and Jason Dodson of The Maldives. Tickets are $8. 21 and over. For more information, click here.

Do you know of an event happening this weekend or in future in our neighborhood?

You can submit it to our events calendar here on MyBallard.com, or email the information to tips@myballard.com to ensure we include it in our weekly weekend roundup.

By Joe Veyera

A24 Films has released the first trailer for Seattle-based Director Lynn Shelton’s new film, “Laggies,” set for release October 24.

The movie, which stars Keira Knightley as a 28-year-old who hides out in the home of her 16-year-old friend and her father (played by Sam Rockwell) as she tries to sort out her life after receiving a marriage proposal, was filmed in Seattle last June and July.

My Ballard checked out one filming location last June in Olympic Manor, at a home at the corner of 90th Street Northwest and Northwest 23rd Street. In September, a helicopter conducted fly overs to get scenic shots of the neighborhood.

The film, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, also features Chloe Grace Moretz, Ellie Kemper, and Jeff Garlin.

Take a look at the trailer by clicking on the video below. See if you recognize any of the filming locations!

By Joe Veyera

My Ballard reader Mark emailed in to report his family’s Subaru Crosstrek (pictured at right) had been stolen from their driveway early Thursday morning.

At approximately 3 a.m. Thursday, Mark said his wife saw flashlight beams waving around the alley between their house and their neighbors on 25th Avenue Northwest. She then ran upstairs to get a better vantage point to see what was going on and realized their car was gone.

“We would love to have it back quickly as we have out of town guests coming this weekend that were relying on being able to borrow a car,” Mark wrote in an email to My Ballard.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the vehicle, you are asked to contact Mark at marksuburu@yahoo.com. 

By Joe Veyera

Homeowners throughout Crown Hill will have their wares on display this Saturday, as part of the eighth annual Crown Hill Neighborhood Garage Sale.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dozens of residents will have sales set up, including some held as charity benefits. Organizers also expect a fair number of free sales as well.

“This is a great chance to walk or bike or drive (slowly please) through the neighborhood to check out what treasures Crown Hillers have for sale,” said Dennis Galvin, from the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association in an email. “If you’re a Crown Hiller, then even better because you get to interact with your neighbors.”

Youngsters will also be out selling lemonade and other refreshments for thirsty garage sale goers.

For an up to date map and listing of sale sites, click here. Those looking to add their sale to the map can register here through tomorrow, July 25, at 8 p.m. If you would rather not fill out the form, listings can also be emailed to garagesale@crownhillneighbors.org with your address and a brief description (maximum 200 characters) of your items for sale. Printed maps will be available on the day of the sale at the Crown Hill Center (9250 14th Ave NW).

By Joe Veyera

The right lane of southbound 15th Avenue Northwest was blocked for a time early Thursday morning at Northwest 56th Street after an incident involving a King County Metro bus and a dump truck.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, the Route 15 Express, which connects Ballard to Downtown Seattle, was traveling down 15th Avenue Northwest when it was sideswiped by a dump truck that was also moving southbound, and was attempting to turn onto Northwest 56th Street.

According to the Seattle Fire Department’s Real-Time 911 dispatch, no emergency units were sent to the scene.

(Photo courtesy of Casey Marie Mochel)

By Joe Veyera

It was a busy week of applications submitted to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD). Check out the most recent applications from the DPD as posted in the Land Use Information Bulletin.

Applications:

5900 24th Ave NW

A Land Use Application has been submitted to allow a 2 ft. by 16 ft. canopy sign for Homestreet Bank. A special exception is required to allow a canopy sign in an midrise-residential/commercial zone.

1730 NW 60th St

A Land Use Application has been submitted to subdivide one development site into four unit lots. The construction of residential units are under Project #6390160. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots.

Decisions:

5601 20th Ave NW

A Land Use Application has been approved with conditions to allow a 6-story, 35-unit residential building with 3 live-work units (3,206 sq. ft.) and retail (1,884 sq. ft.) at street level. Parking for 34 vehicles will be located below grade. The existing structure is to be demolished. Appeals of this decision must be received by the Hearing Examiner no later than August 4, 2014.

Conditions have been placed on this project. You may view the decision through the DPD’s web-based Land Use Information Bulletin, or contact either the assigned planner Shelley Bolser at (206) 733-9067, or contact the Public Resource Center (206-684-8467 or prc@seattle.gov).

3001 NW 56th St

A Land Use Application has been approved to subdivide one development site into four unit lots. The construction of residential units has been approved under Project #6403298. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots. Appeals of this decision must be received by the Hearing Examiner no later than August 7, 2014.

Appeals and comments on proposed land use actions must be submitted in writing to the Public Resource Center by email to prc@seattle.gov, by fax to (206) 233-7901, or by mail to the address below:

Department of Planning and Development
ATTN: Public Resource Center or Assigned Planner
700 Fifth Ave, Ste 2000
P.O. Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019

Notice of Design Review Recommendation Meeting: 

1436 NW 62nd St

A Land Use Application has been submitted to allow a 4-story structure containing 30 residential units. No parking proposed. Existing structures to be demolished.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 11 at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at Ballard Community Center (6020 28th Ave NW)

The Director will accept written comments to assist in the preparation of the early design guidance through August 11, 2014. You are invited to offer comments regarding important site planning and design issues, which you believe, should be addressed in the design for this project.

Comments and requests to be made party of record should be submitted to PRC@seattle.gov or mailed to

City of Seattle – DPD – PRC
700 5^th Avenue, Suite 2000
PO Box 34019
Seattle, WA  98124-4019