daranee, Author at Wallyhood

More Buses, More Options, Less 26X Capacity

daranee August 21, 2015 28 Comments

I hate to kick Metro while they are in what may be a transitional stage for them, but I happened to notice adverts splashed on my favorite sites with the slogan: “More buses, more options. Thanks Seattle Voters.”

Something about that slogan invites derision especially since my husband has been talking about leaving earlier to catch his bus since the changes in June. Why? I’ll let another Wallingford resident Erik Blazing tell it:

For several years now, my morning commute was usually via the last run of the 26X (the one that arrives at 40th & Wallingford ~8:38am). That…

27 Years of Changes

daranee August 7, 2015 1 Comment

Wallingford’s only gay bar Changes celebrated its 27th year. Opened in 1989 on North 45th Street and still under the same ownership, Changes embodies all that you love about old Wallingford while at the same time being very new. I spoke with owner Floyd Isaac recently and I found his opinion on just about everything to be quite laid back. While many of us are worried about all the changes to the neighborhood, Floyd takes everything in stride. Here are the results of my interview with him. It has been lightly edited.

Q. You opened in 1989 in Wallingford. Why …

The Digital Divide

daranee August 2, 2015 17 Comments

If you are a regular visitor to the Seattle Public Library, you may have noticed the addition of iPads mounted to a table in the children’s sections. We first noticed this a few months ago in the Fremont Library, and it was the first time our son showed no interest in the books on offer. He sat in front of the iPad playing games while my husband and I searched for picture books to check out.

There is an iPad at the Greenlake Library. There used to be an iPad at the Wallingford Branch, but I was told it was …

Varsity Movie Theater Re-Opens

daranee May 24, 2015 2 Comments

What is a movie theater in 2015? In fact, it is many things. The business of operating a movie theater is in a state of flux. Movie theaters are trying to reinvent themselves. Are they bars? Restaurants? Charitable organizations? Places for mommy meet ups? Corporate meet ups? Music venues? Portals to a performance thousands of miles away?

In case you don’t know where The Varsity Theater is, it is in the University District at 4329 University Way. It was previously owned by Landmark Theaters, but is now owned by Faraway Entertainment which also owns the Admiral Theater in West Seattle. …

Wallingford’s Weekly Film Festival

daranee May 11, 2015 2 Comments

When I was younger and childless, I use to make a point to go to several films every year at Seattle International Film Festival. Many of the movies I saw were documentaries. Over the years driving across town to a SIFF cinema and waiting in line became less appealing, and it was one of those activities that just dropped off for me.

Little did I know that every Friday in Wallingford, I could get the same experience and more. Rick Turner along with a handful of others created Meaningful Movies in Wallingford in 2003. As he tells it, Meaningful Movies …

Stone Way Cafe Joins Joule and The Whale Wins

daranee April 19, 2015 6 Comments

A few years ago I was devastated to learn that The Gypsy Cafe at N 35th St and Stone Way N was closing. My family and I were fond of listening to folk music there and attending the square dance every now and again. The place was a little worn around the edges, but it was still good. Then it became The Tiny Ninja Cafe, and I went once to an afternoon concert. It had been remodeled a bit — mostly the exterior was painted black, but it was still very much the same in look and feel if not …

Deja vu – Collision at Wallingford Ave N and N 39th St

daranee April 15, 2015 16 Comments

Monday Tuesday morning while driving my kids to daycare, I saw the remnants of yet another accident. Wallyhood reader Stephanie also witnessed the aftermath. She writes:

I was hoping you could do a story on the accident that happened this morning (around 8am) on the corner of 39th and Wallingford. Looked like one person was going to the hospital and another car actually ended up on the sidewalk (thankfully it didn’t look like anyone was on the sidewalk at the time). Would love to know what happened because I feel like there are always horns blowing on that corner (and …

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