Photo courtesy of Theo Chocolates

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and we Fremonters are lucky enough to have Seattle’s favorite organic chocolatiers right in our own neighborhood. Theo Chocolates, famous for their “bean to bar” process, happens to be pairing up with Woodford Reserve for a romantic evening full of chocolate and whiskey. Save the night: February 13^, starting at 6:30 p.m

These two local entrepreneurs are offering a pairing of Woodford Reserve’s finest whiskey and a Theo specialty chocolate created just for the event. And these thoughtful neighbors of ours are even throwing in an Uber code to get you back home safe and sound. Price is just $40, so make your reservation at the Theo Chocolates website. This one is (obviously) a 21+ event, but you can also mark your calendar for the all-ages chocolate and cheese pairing at Theo on February 22.

Photo Courtesy of Theo Chocolates

Evo Mural on Stone Way North

In case you haven’t noticed, the Fremont tradition of public art is alive and well, in spite of progressive development and the area’s growth as a high-tech hub. Let’s document this ongoing phenomenon in our neighborhoods, alleys and small business corridors in 2017. With the Burke Gilman trail snaking its way right along our waterfront paralleling 34^th Ave, it’s an easy side-cycle tour to view Fremont in all its artsy glory. To get us started, here are a few favorites from our readers.

Evo  The ever-colorful, always lively Evo storefront on Stone Way North leads the pack for public art, with its enormous concrete canvas covering the entire south side of the building. The newest incarnation of its massive mural is on Stone Way North and 35th. (See photo above.)

Our Neon Mermaid

One of the only four bascule bridges in Seattle, our multi-colored Fremont Bridge is a piece of art in itself – but have you noticed that its control tower is also home to our very own neon mermaid? Gazing down from the tower like an aquatic Rapunzel, her hair cascading toward the Lake Washington Ship Canal beneath the bridge, she serves as a beacon of light and a constant reminder of Fremont’s roots as Seattle’s favorite organic arts community. With an average of 35 openings per day on the most opened drawbridge in the United States, our neon lady of the sea stays quite busy.

The flip side of the control tower illustrates a fable by Rudyard Kipling, featuring a neon elephant and crocodile. An electronic bike counter nearby counts the ever-increasing number of cyclists crossing the bridge each day, culminating in a grand annual total.

Send in your own photos for brightening the remaining weeks of winters here in Seattle!

Yes, you read that right — chickens are perching and pecking atop one of Fremont’s trendy new high-rise apartment communities. Tapping into the urban farming concept, developers of the recently opened Bowman complex on Stone Way North installed a chicken coop on the rooftop, reportedly the first in Seattle. Five spunky little hens rule the roost up there, befriending city-slicker residents with a yearning for rural perks – such as fresh eggs. After signing a waiver, community residents of Bowman can scoop up the freshest eggs in town. They can also watch their little “pets” from afar, on a chicken coop cam.

Rooftop amenities can be a deciding factor when choosing an apartment, and Fremont has some of the best. Velo on Woodlawn Park Avenue has an inside ramp for bicyclists, and Ray (also on Stone Way North) sports a full array of rooftop amenities, including a bocce ball court, four firepits, BBQ grills and two big-screen televisions. There are also full-on views of Lake Union and the Seattle skyline, as well as an enclosed lounge with pool table and kitchen. When Ray first opened, the enclosed lounge area was an “orangerie” with a mini grove of citrus trees, but residents overwhelmingly preferred a year-round enclosed hang-out spot on top.

So keep your eye to the sky for a glimpse of Fremont’s new upper extremities – and note that the street-level amenities of these buildings are typically open to the public, such as the hip new 36 Stone cafe and bar beneath the Ray building.

Courtesy of our sister site My Ballard.com.

Thanks to funding from the Seattle Park District as part of the Community Center Strategic Plan, as of the first of the year, most drop-in activities  at Seattle Parks and Recreation community centers are now free.

During a public outreach process, Seattle Parks and Recreation heard from many communities that even small drop-in fees can be a barrier for people with low incomes, preventing many from taking part in some of our basic activities and services.

In general, a true drop-in activity is one that does not regularly hire staff or have regular materials and supply costs. For most community centers, this means the following activities are now free:

• Tot Gyms and Tot Rooms
• Fitness Rooms
• Basketball, Pickleball, Dodgeball, Volleyball
• Pool Tables
• Table games like Bridge or Mahjong
• and most other activities that previously had $1, $2, or $3 drop-in fees.

The following kinds of activities will continue to charge a fee:

• Program drop-in (paying for a class one session at a time)
• Special events
• Drop-in activities held outside normal operating hours

For more information, or if you have questions about a previously purchased punch card for drop-in activities, contact Northgate Community Center at (206) 386-4283 or Green Lake Community Center at 684-0780  to find out more.

From our sister site Mapleleaflife

Seattle high school seniors and college undergraduates are invited to enter an essay scholarship competition created by The Seattle Public Library Foundation to honor civic leader Stimson Bullitt.

The fourth annual Stimson Bullitt Civic Courage Scholarship seeks essays that explore civic courage. Essays may be submitted online through 11:59 p.m. on March 15, 2017. Three scholarships will be awarded: the author of the winning essay will receive $5,000, and the authors of the two second-place essays will each receive $2,500.

The competition is open to high school seniors and college undergraduate students who live, work or attend school in Seattle. Participants must have a Library card issued by The Seattle Public Library. [Read more →]