Shoreline's Latino flavored 7-11

A few weeks ago I reported on the 7-11 in Shoreline's Ridgecrest neighborhood selling an unusual flavor of beer called Budweiser Chelada. I discovered that (according to Busweiser's press release) it is a flavor enjoyed by many Latino folks. In case you didn't see that earlier post and don't know what Budweiser Chelada is, it's beer mixed with clam juice and tomato juice. At any rate, I was thinking about that and how the store often plays Latino music in the parking lot and started wondering if perhaps there's a lot of Latino folks living in that area. Then, yesterday, I spotted this new display. Mexican snack cakes!

Sometimes just going to the local convenience store is an international adventure. :)

BIMBO Pan Dulce

Is that salsa music playing?

Link to: Earlier post about Budweiser Chelada

Puffball mushrooms at Cromwell Park

At Cromwell Park today (Saturday, August 30, 2008) I noticed a lot of little puffball mushrooms on the field, near the benches. They were pretty small, (about the size of pocket change) ranging in size from the diameter of a dime to the diameter of a quarter.






Link to: Information about Shoreline parks

Flyers about "Ringling Creulty"

These photocopied flyers recently showed up in the Meridian Park neighborhood of Shoreline (perhaps other neighborhoods as well, I don't know). This photo was taken near 175th and Meridian. Someone wants you to boycott the Ringling Brothers / Barnum and Bailey Circus because, they say, the circus treats animals with cruelty (although 'cruelty' is initially misspelled "creulty" on the flyer, the word 'cruelest' is spelled correctly in the smaller text).

Click to see a bigger version

Dudley Manlove QuartetFree concert tonight in Richmond Beach

Dudley Manlove Quartet
(photo is from their MySpace page)

According to their website, the DMQ plays "Lounge music for the now generation." And on their MySpace page they list their influences as "Cocktails; drink tickets; girls jumping up and down to "Suspicious Minds"; Englebert Humperdinck; leisure suits; the comedic stylings of Shecky Greene; doubles; Tom Jones from the waist down; lobster tanks; and, of course, you."

And since the concert is free, how can you not be there?

When: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 @ 7:00pm
Where: Richmond Beach Community Park (at the RB Library)
More info: 206-417-4645

Link to: Dudley Manlove Quartet website

Link to: Dudley Manlove Quartet's MySpace page

Link to: Story about DMQ at The Enterprise newspaper

Work party at Ronald Bog parkFriday Aug. 29, 2008

Click the flyer to see a larger version

UPDATE: Click here to see photos from this event

For more info call Dick Decker at (206) 542-1552
or Mark Tomboulian at (206) 546-3261

Call to Artists: New Arts Council LogoDeadline October 31, 2008

From the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council website:

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2009, seeks an original graphic design for a new logo to be used on all marketing and collateral materials, such as posters, newsletters, letterhead stationery, etc., and on a redesigned website to launch at the end of the year. The artwork must include “Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council” in a creative way that conveys the Arts Council’s brand and messaging. The selected artwork and artist will be profiled on the website and to the press, and a $250 cash prize will be awarded to the selected artist.

Please send your submission to:

Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council
Attn: Logo Design
18560 1st Ave. NE
Shoreline, WA 98155

Or via email to info@shorelinearts.net

Deadline for submissions is October 31, 2008

For more information please call the Arts Council office at 206-417-4645.

Link to: Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council

Photos along the Interurban Trail in Shoreline Washington

These photos were taken yesterday along part of the Interurban Trail as it runs through Shoreline WA (between 175th & 145th).

To see more photos of the Shoreline segment of the Interurban Trail, including milk trucks, surveillance cameras, the view from the bridge, and more, click the link below.

Link to: more photos of the Shoreline segment of the Interurban Trail

Link to: all posts about The Interurban Trail

For summer: Free walking map of Shoreline

Way back in February I posted a link to a free walking map of Shoreline produced by the City of Shoreline. It's quite nice - it's in color and shows Shoreline's parks, schools, libraries, etc. It occurs to me that it might be more useful now that it's summer. And especially since today is expected to be sunny and warm. Should be a good day to explore Shoreline on foot! So if you missed it the first time around, click the link below to dip into the Ronald Bog blog archives.

Link to: Free walking map of Shoreline

Shoreline Public Art Survey

"Kiss" sculpture at Ronald Bog park in Shoreline WA

The City of Shoreline is conducting a public art survey. The Parks, Recreational & Cultural Services (PRCS) Department wants your input on public art in Shoreline. Here are the questions on the survey followed by the address to send your answers to.

1.) What is your favorite piece of art in the Shoreline area?


2.) Suggest locations for additional public art.


3.) What questions or comments do you have regarding existing public art pieces or other Parks projects?


Optional:


Your name / phone number / email address


Send your responses to:
City of Shoreline
17544 Midvale Ave. N.
Shoreline, WA 98133


Link to: all posts about public art in Shoreline


Link to: more photos of public art in Shoreline

Ballinger Neighborhood Walk & Fitness FairSat, August 23, 2008

If you live in the Ballinger Neighborhood, you might be interested in the Walk & Fitness Fair this Saturday. Click the link below for more information.

Link to: Ballinger Neighborhood Association webpage

Free concert tonight at Richmond Beach library

Free concert tonight

The Delivery Boys - Acoustic Pop/Harmonies 

When: Wednesday, August 20th 2008, 7:00 pm

How much: Free

Where: Richmond Beach Community Park (near the library) 

Info from the Shoreline / LFP Arts Council webpage:

Please join us on Wednesday, August 20 for the Delivery Boys at Richmond Beach Community Park. Pop harmonies will serenade you as these gentlemen “deliver” the good. Bring your picnic and some friends and have a relaxing evening.

Richmond Beach Community Park is located at Richmond Beach Rd at 21st Ave. NW. in Shoreline. All concerts are free to the community. Information about these and other Arts Council events and programs is available by calling 206-417-4645. 

Bookgroups in Shoreline

Thanks to Sara for the following information:

Looking for a bookgroup in Shoreline? Here are a few -- if you know of others that are looking for new members, please post a comment.

The Shoreline Library Book Discussion Group meets for "lively discussions of both fiction and non-fiction titles. New members are always welcome!" It meets the second Monday of each month at 7 pm. September's book is "Angelica: a Novel" by Arthur Phillips.

Richmond Beach Library also has a bookgroup, which meets meets the first Monday of each month at 7 pm, and the second Thursday of each month at 2 pm. For September they're reading "Hearts of Horses" by Molly Gloss.

The Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Book Group is also always welcoming new members (no church affiliation necessary). We meet the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm. September's title is "The World Without Us," by Alan Weisman; October's is "Miami and the Siege of Chicago," by Norman Mailer; and November's is "The Open Road: The Global Journey of the 14th Dalai Lama" by Pico Iyer. For more information e-mail Bob Beekman at RLBeekman@comcast.net.

Happy reading,
Sara

Public Art Dedication:Contemplating the Arc at Echo Lake park

Set in stone

Contemplating the Arc - all wrapped up!

The artist, Stuart Nakamura with his work in the background.

Is he 'contemplating the arc' in this photo?

The ribbon cutting.
It turns out that those big ceremonial scissors are actually capable of cutting!

Artist Stuart Nakamura and Shoreline Mayor Cindy Ryu seal the deal

Detail of 'Contemplating the Arc'

Mayor Cindy Ryu



Artist Stuart Nakamura


Link to: More photos from the dedication of Contemplating the Arc

Link to: All posts about this this piece of art

Link to: All posts about public art in Shoreline

Photos from Cruise In car show on Aug 16, 2008

The Celebrate Shoreline festivities included a vintage auto show on Saturday August 16th, 2008. Click the photo or the link below to see more photos from the event.



Link to: More photos from the Cruise In car show

Link to: Even more photos of the event (from the See Level blog)

Link to: All posts about Celebrate Shoreline

Fun at the Crest Theater

I love, just LOVE, the Crest Theater here in Shoreline, on 5th and 165th. If you don't have to see movies on opening night, and are fed up with paying ten bucks or more to see a first-run film, you probably love it too. For only $3 (and of course, the price of your chosen film snacks) you can see second-run flicks, and often many smaller release indie movies. That's less than it usually costs to rent a DVD, and even though the screens are smaller than many other theaters, they're most likely larger than the one in your living room.

I was with a friend on Friday evening, watching one of those less-known films, Mongol, at the Crest (loved it, by the way). Around 1/3 of the way through, the film stopped abruptly. It wasn't more than five minutes until it started up again, but in that time, the audience remained good-natured, joking about the film and chatting patiently.

Within another 20 minutes, the film stopped again, and this time, we were treated to one of those sights you only see in clichéd movies about movies: the projected image actually showed the film blacken and melt, complete with little bubbles of cellulite.

I even got a picture of the blackened film:


It was so funny to see that instead of getting mad, people actually seemed to be enjoying themselves even more. People talked with the folks seated near them, and after a moment, a couple of the guys working at the theater came out and started talking to the audience.

They told us that the film would be fixed in just a few minutes, and answered questions about how the projectors worked and why this had happened. Then the conversation veered off into the current Olympic topic: Michael Phelps and whether he'd win his 8th gold medal. Instead of an angry, impatient crowd, the Crest staff turned a tough moment into a little bit of Shoreline community building.

It wasn't too long before the film was underway again, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. And I recommend the good old Crest, too. For $3, you get a movie, some excitement, and you might get to know your neighbors.


Link to the Crest Theater site and showtimes.

Did your power go out today?

If so, blame the lightening that hit a northeast Seattle area transformer. That area, as well as a large part of Shoreline, lost power after the strike at about 3:30 in the morning.

The area affected by the outage was bordered by NE 162nd and NE 110th to the north and south, and Lake Washington and Meridian Ave. to the east and west.

Did your power go out? Or maybe you just heard the storm as it passed? You can talk about it in the comments section, below!

Smog watch cancelled

Take a deep breath.

Shoreline has been under a smog watch since last Thursday. I just got an email from The Regional Public Information Network (RPIN) that says "Effective immediately, the Smog Watch called last Thursday for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties is cancelled."

Link to: More info from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

Link to: Earlier post about smog watch

Photos from Celebrate Shoreline parade, Aug. 16th, 2008

The very first element of the Celebrate Shoreline parade.
After all, what says 'Shoreline' more than bagpipes!?

And this was the second thing in the parade, right after the piper.

The rest of these photos are in to particular order...

Link to: All posts about Celebrate Shoreline

Link to: More photos of the parade (at the See Level blog)

Did you attend the parade? What did you think?

Photos and video from skateboard competition on Aug. 15th

Who needs the Olympics? As part of Celebrate Shoreline there was a skateboard competition at The Connie King Skate Park at Paramount Park. Here are some photos and videos I took at the event. These kids were flying all over the place! Some of them were quite young (they had a category for 12 and under), but really adept at skating. It was fun to watch.

Link to: More info about Celebrate Shoreline

Link to: More info about Paramount Park

Shoreline included in regional smog watch

UPDATE: This smog watch was cancelled about noon on August 17th, 2008


As of yesterday, Shoreline is under a smog watch.

The following information is from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

August 14, 2008 – A Smog Watch has been called by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

People who are especially sensitive to pollution are advised to limit their time outdoors. Even healthy individuals should consider limiting their outdoor exercise, or plan to work out indoors.

What you can do:

• Carpool or ride the bus to work, events and outings.
• If you must drive, use your most fuel-efficient car and combine errands into one trip.
• If you must refuel, do it in the evening hours, don’t top off the tank and make sure your gas cap clicks tightly closed.
• Skip gasoline-powered yard work and gas-fueled recreation.
• Avoid using household products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Look for low- or no-VOC paints and water-based solvents, instead.
• Use an electric starter or charcoal chimney to start your barbecue (there’s no need to ever use lighter fluid). Even better, use only a gas grill or opt for a non-grill picnic.

The weather pattern from now through Saturday night will result in ozone pollution rising to unhealthy levels. The communities most impacted are south and southeast of the core urban areas of Everett, Seattle and Tacoma where air quality is predicted to decline to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” on Friday and Saturday due to the production of ozone.

Fine particle pollution will also increase resulting in reduced visibility and likely creating “Moderate” air-quality conditions on Friday and Saturday in most areas throughout the Puget Sound region.

Air quality is predicted to improve overnight on Saturday as a push of marine air is expected to scour out the accumulated pollution in the Puget Sound region and return air-quality conditions to “Good” on Sunday. The Smog Watch will be cancelled at noon Sunday unless high temperatures and poor air quality persist.

The Department of Health reminds people with asthma and parents of children with asthma to limit outdoor activities during hazy, sunny, hot weather when ozone levels are high. Adults with lung and cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke) should also be mindful of poor air quality.

This week’s Smog Watch is the second called this month. With a new, more stringent air quality standard for ozone, it will be difficult for our region to stay in compliance with the federal standard.

Ozone comes primarily from automobile tailpipes and “cooks” in heat and sunlight on hot days to produce smog. Exposure to ground-level ozone can reduce lung function, cause respiratory irritation, aggravate asthma symptoms, and weaken the immune system. Ozone has environmental impacts as well; studies show that ozone can damage agricultural crops and forests.

To learn more about smog and what you can to lessen the pollution leading up to it, visit www.pscleanair.org/airq/basics/weather/smog.aspx .

Check air-quality forecasts and current conditions atwww.pscleanair.org/airq/aqi.aspx# .

Link to: The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency home page

Whisker City, Shoreline's own cat rescue

Nestled on a quiet suburban Shoreline street, you will find Whisker City, a little haven for neglected and abused cats. Or perhaps you've seen one of the Whiskers on Wheels (aka WOW) buses around town. Founded by auctioneer April Brown, Whisker City has been finding homes for cats for 17 years. The WOW bus, filled with up to 22 kitties at a time, parks in front of pet stores and other businesses, and invites folks in to see the potential adoptees. A non-profit, all-volunteer organization, Whisker City places hundreds of cats in new homes every year. They take overflow from other shelters, and provide life-long homes for cats that can't be adopted.

You can visit the Whiskers on Wheels bus every Saturday at the Petco on Aurora and 205th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - and who knows; maybe you'll find your new best friend there!


Recently, thanks to a grant from Maddie's Fund, a pet rescue foundation, and annual fundraiser The Sacred Cat Ball, Whisker City was able to buy a new WOW bus, and they're now looking to hire a driver for the bus, five days a week. Visit their website for more information about the job. And if you'd like to donate time, money or supplies to help the cats, they'd be more than welcome! Volunteers are needed for these tasks:

• The Sacred Cat Ball Dinner Auction (April 18, 2009 Lynnwood Convention Center)
• Cleaning at the shelter (2-4 hours per week-any day from 9-4)
• Shooting Video of the cats and kittens
• Taking pictures of the cats and kittens
• Maintaining the Whisker City PetFinder site
• Grooming Cats
• Foster care
• Playing with Cats and Kittens
• Sewing Pet Beds (24" X 24" fleece pads)
• Gardening and maintaining property
• Writing short articles for the newsletter about our adopters and cats
• Helping to create alliances with businesses for ongoing financial support

If you'd like to help with any of these things, please contact April – you can email her via this form on the Whisker City website, or by calling 206-542-0947. I think that playing with cats and kittens sounds like a particularly fun way to help!

Link to: Whisker City's website
Link to: the cats currently available for adoption from Whisker City, on Petfinder
Link to: information about the yearly Sacred Cat Ball fundraiser auction (the next one will be April of 2009).