Chris Witwer, Author at Wallyhood

One More Day!

Chris Witwer July 20, 2010 4 Comments

Did you see that awesome Les Misbarack YouTube video that came out right before the Changing of the Commander in Chief? Ever since, I find myself looking for reasons to break into song, singing “One More Day!”

Here’s this week’s excuse: We’ve got just one more day to vote in Seattle Weekly’s 25th Best of Seattle poll.

West Seattle Blog and My Ballard were deemed Best Neighborhood Blog winner and runner-up last year. After which I do believe I wrote, “look out for Wallyhood in 2010. Game on!”

So. Game on! Voting ends 5pm Wednesday. Vote here.

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World Listening Day

Chris Witwer July 17, 2010 Comments are off

Thanks to Steve Peters for his email about World Listening Day on Sunday.

Steve and his colleague Steve Barsotti (Steve squared!) will be hosting some Greenlake listening walks on Sunday, as noted below:

“In honor of the first World Listening Day, the Seattle Phonographers Union invites the public to participate in a series of soundwalks on Sunday, July 18th at Seattle’s Green Lake from 10AM to 4PM. This event is FREE to the public; all are welcome.

Throughout the day, SPU members will guide participants on silent walks around the lake, focusing attention on the diversity and complexity of the …

Marco! Pollock! Marco! Pollock!

Chris Witwer July 14, 2010 Comments are off

Thanks to a Seattle Craigslist ad, we’ve discovered some fishy business happening at Gas Works Park this Saturday.

Apparently, giant sea lions (made of cloth, with humans inside) will be scavenging the park in search of their dwindling food supply — namely, Pollock. A Greenpeace press release explains the problem this way:

“Seattle based industrial fishing fleets are putting entire ecosystems at risk. Ships leave from Seattle with huge steel nets and heavy chains to trawl the bottom of our oceans and the world’s largest underwater canyons. Out of four schools of Pollock, three have been fished down to below …

Family Fourth Road Closures

Chris Witwer July 1, 2010 4 Comments

It can sure be a blast to live in Lower Wallingford on the Fourth of July. It can also be a serious pain in the ass if you’re trying to move through the lower ‘hood by car. We visited the Family Fourth website for traffic info, and here’s what we came up with based on this year’s website & last year’s instructions from the city.

Beginning at noon on Sunday, July 4th, areas north of Gas Work Park will be restricted to residents and “legitimate” business purposes. The area will not be open to non-residents looking for parking spots. If …

Summer Picnic: Wallingford Community Kitchen

Chris Witwer June 16, 2010 Comments are off

Save the date! Friday, June 18th the Wallingford Community Kitchen holds another Summer Picnic! Yea! Picnic!

Rachel Duboff (Thyme to Nourish) describes it for us:

We will cook as a community and then enjoy the bounties of our labor by sitting down to share a meal. Participation requires a $5 pre-registration fee to cover the cost of ingredients and the facilities. We ask that anyone who can, donate additional funds to allow those who are facing financial difficulties the chance to attend.

Just pre-register (details below), then bring an appetizer, drink or dessert to share (no bread products needed). You’ll …

Goodloe-Johnson: No Confidence or No Kumbaya?

Chris Witwer June 15, 2010 28 Comments

Before moving to Seattle in 2005, I lived in Charleston, South Carolina (where the Gullah word, kumbaya comes from), where I witnessed the school district’s search for — and eventual selection of — a new Superintendent for the Charleston South Carolina School District. Her name was Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. She talked about accountability, and diversity, and improving students’ education, all of which Charleston sorely needed.

Some of my neighbors did not like her, though. I kept hearing “she’s black” or “she’s a woman” or “she’s a black woman” until finally, the worst of all “a black woman living in sin.”…

Architecture-themed Wallingford Walk

Chris Witwer June 14, 2010 3 Comments

In May, I thoroughly enjoyed the Wallingford Walk featuring chickens and bees. Next up? Houses! More specifically, Craftsman, Bungalows and More – Led by Al Elliott on Sunday, June 20th.

Sustainable Wallingford describes the tour:

Wallingford contains many fine examples of the Craftsman style of architecture that grew out of a progressive movement started in the late nineteenth century. The goals of this movement included helping people regain connection with craftsmanship and the natural world that were being lost because of industrialization. Siding, exterior design, interior design, choice of materials, garden design all worked toward these and other goals that …

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