While paying for my usual 12 oz latte, lemon crepe, and ½ Pacific Northwest salad, I recently took notice of a jar of wooden tokens near the register at one of my favorite cafes, the Essential Bakery.  When I inquired about it, I was told that you could pay for an extra cup of coffee, they would put a token in the jar, and then someone from the community could redeem it for a free cup of coffee.  Here is what the sign says:

The Essential Baking Company
Sospeso Project

The word “sospeso” in Italian directly translates to “suspended,” and …

Curious to see what the City is proposing for our neighbors to the East?

University District Urban Design Draft Zoning Proposal Open House
When: Tuesday, May 31, 2016, 6 – 8pm
Location: Neptune Theater (1303 NE 45th Street)

The University District is one of the first neighborhoods planned for upzoning since the City has been working on a plan for the University District for the last four years. The areas that are proposed for significant height increases are within the area roughly from NE 50th Street to the Ship Canal and from I-5 to 15th Avenue NE at the …

In January of this year, the Wallingford Community Council convened a meeting to educate the neighborhood on changes to zoning and housing policies that could have drastic effects on our neighborhood and our city.  I attended, as did many others (around 200 were in attendance).  At this meeting, I asked the person next to me, “What is an Urban Village?”  (Keep reading if you have had the same question).

Since that meeting I have dived in with both feet (which at times includes following the mayor around with a sign and balloons) but also includes getting past all of the …