Ballard Gossip Girl

See You Later Ballard!

2011-12-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

In case you noticed, we haven't published much lately. It's because Ballard Gossip Girl left Ballard. In fact, she moved out of the state. While her heart is still firmly rooted in Ballard, her pocketbook and career took her away. We attempted to get some of the other contributors to step up but that didn't work. So we ditched our domain, packed our bags and closed up shop in the middle of the night. We'll miss you dearly and thank you all for reading our silly little blog. We hope it entertained you, because we certainly thought it was a kick in the pants. Skål!

Hazlewood Rhymes with Nantucket

2011-10-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Has it really been six years? Yes, it has! So go celebrate at Hazlewood on Tuesday, October 18th.

And enjoy another of their delightful videos. Featuring the salty Keith Bartoloni.

Has Anyone Stayed at the Hotel Ballard?

2011-07-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

This Ballard Gossip Girl has a friend coming into town in September and is looking for a room. I know the restored Hotel Ballard is now open but has anyone stayed there yet?

I would love to hear your comments or recommendations. I am so excited that we have a hotel in our hometown now.

Have a great weekend readers!

Syttende Mai 2011

2011-05-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

Our favorite day at BGG is almost here. We are in the final countdown to Syttende Mai and we hope to see you out on the streets of Ballard tomorrow.

The committee this year has events lined up all day long! The parade starts at 6 so there is plenty of time for you to get off work (leave early, we will be) get to Ballard and grab your first shot of aquavit.

Hip Hip Hurrah!

Derby, Drinks and Donations!

2011-05-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

I can't think of a better way to watch the Kentucky Derby than with my fellow Balardites while raising money for a very dear cause. Read more below

Kentucky Derby Party, Drink for baby Georgia!

Bring your big hats and best attire! Harlow's, along with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, is hosting a Kentucky Derby party. Prizes for best hat, biggest hat, and of course, the pony race!

All proceeds will go to the Handsaker family to help little Georgia firght her battle against a rare form of leukemia called JMML. Come out and drink for Georgia!

Harlow's Is Open For Business

2010-12-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

It's open folks! Come and get it.

Harlow's opened late last week and is ready to meet your drinking needs. We dropped in (twice in fact) and love it. Congratulations to Kevin and Tracy. It's on the corner of Ballard Ave and 20th Ave NW. Go get some tots and some beer!

Dude. Art.

2010-12-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

Blowing Sands Glass Studio is showing some fantastic sculpture by Dan Klennert. You can see a number of his works outside the studio like this one above. We think they appeal to the mechanic in all of us, not only inspiring us to see the animal and human forms but to identify the individual parts. Well done, dudes!

The studio is located on 14th Ave NW and NW 58th St a little north of Ballard Market near St. Alphonsus. Go check it out art fans!

This Horse is Awesome.

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!

2010-10-03T08:14:00.001-07:00

After an 11th hour campaign on Facebook push by Hazlewood the contest was decided! Hazlewood is the clear winner sweeping their competition with a respectable margin.

So join me in congratulating them. We are already are hard at work on their Major Award!

The Captain has Left the Building

2010-10-03T08:01:00.001-07:00

A faithful reader sent us this sad picture. Caps's Keys has closed up shop. Now where will you go to get keys made?!

We at BGG have a very strong opinion about this subject. Caps was great. But we highly recommend Pacific Key in the parking lot of the Greenwood Fred Meyer. Their keys are perfect and always work! We have been faithful customers for years after a number of horrid key debacles. Namely, we had keys made twice and then twice repaired at the Ballard Fred Meyer. Imagine the horror of leaving the keys to your petsitter only to find they don't work!

We wish you all the best Clay!

One Day Left to Vote in the Best Happy Hour Poll!

2010-09-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

Get your votes in folks! Polling closes on October 1st at 5 p.m. in our second fight-to-the-death Ballard Happy Hour showdown. Tell your mom, get your dog to vote, tweet about it and remind your friends!

The winning bar will receive a swimmingly fantastic award by yours truly. An award of epic proportions. The suspense is nearly unbearable.

What is up with the Old Sunset Bowl and Denny's Sites?

2010-09-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

First there was some cardboard art all over the fences. Now there are huge white tents. Who knows what is up?

Ballard Ave's Newest Bar - EXCLUSIVE!

2010-09-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

The dynamic folks behind Moshi Moshi, Kevin and Tracy Erickson, are opening a new bar on Ballard Ave. It's going to be called Harlow's and will be a self-described dive bar. They're catering to folks who like to get their drink on - just an old fashioned love song if you ask me!

Harlow's will open up in the corner spot at 5200 Ballard Ave. Down by the Tractor, the space used to be a guitar shop. You know, this place:

Tracy hopes to have it open by the end of October. Well, we know where we're going for Halloween! Hooray and more Hooray. Congrats, you two.

Happy Hour Show Down Continues!

2010-09-21T14:08:00.001-07:00

It's a dead heat right now in our poll with Hazlewood and La Isla. Vote now in the first round and send your suggestions for the second round of voting. Remember, if you don't vote, you can't complain.

UPDATE: Here are the results of our first round of voting.

As you can see, it's a dead heat between Hazlewood and La Isla. Round Two kicks off today. Don't forget to vote!

The Wood Pulls A-head

2010-09-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

In our exciting Happy Hour poll, see the poll to the right, Ballard Darling Hazlewood has pulled ahead in the votes. Where do you like to go? Get your votes in now!

And send us your nominations for other great Happy Hour bars in Ballard. We'll have a second round of Polling next week!

Ballard's Happiest Hour

2010-09-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Let's have a poll! Where is the best Happy Hour in Ballard? Something about 3 p.m. on a Thursday has made us wonder.

Vote at right!

We voted for Hazlewood, mostly due to our undying love of the darling Jessica who is there today.

Vote, my pretties, vote!

High Ballard!

2010-09-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Next stop, Market and 15th!

We noticed an interesting trend in Ballard this summer and fall. While we were out walking around on Market Street we encountered a strange smell pouring out of cars. It was an unmistakable smell, one that is instantly recognizable. No, it wasn't cigarette smoke and it wasn't air freshener. It was the Reefer!

And it wasn't just once that this happened. It was multiple times, about half a dozen, that these mellow cars rolled by us or stopped at a light.

Which is why we wanted to pose this question. Is this a new trend or is it just random? We'd like to know if you, gentle reader, have also noticed an increase in the number of herbally enhanced drivers in the hood. Because last we checked, there still isn't a medical marijuana store in Ballard.

Help The City and Help Yourself!

2010-09-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Booze - Let it Free

Fill out the Seattle Nightlife Initiative Survey
We enthusiastically brought you the news that our Mayor is pushing to extend liquor serving hours to allow bars to set their own staggered closing times if any at all. We're in favor of this proposal, as you may know, because it's a proven method to prevent a lot of the mayhem that occurs with a singular bar closing time.

The City and the Police are in favor, but they will still have to get it passed by the Washington State Liquor Board. According to our pals at the Stranger, the proposal is at risk because WSLB thinks it would encourage more drunk driving. How? Oh, they surmise that all the drunk people who don't live in Seattle will take to their cars to grab those last few hours of drinking. We think that's a pretty fringe case scenario. It's far better to have some rogue drivers dispersed throughout the night instead of streets filled with them all at the same time.

So here's how you can help! Please fill out the Seattle Nightlife Initiative Survey. It's located right here. Please let the city and the WSLB know that you want to extend bar hours. Mayor McBeardy actually has an 8-point plan which is open for public comment. That means you!

Thanks so much fellow nightlife friends.

OMFG What a Stupid Idea

2010-09-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

We were reading in the Ballard News Tribune that city council member Sally Clark is considering regularly shutting down Ballard Ave to cars to promote commerce. I'm sorry, but when was the last time you strolled leisurely to a restaurant in pouring rain, through the snow, in omnipresent drizzle or rode your bike down a windy wet street to get to a restaurant? Are you crazy? Did you notice the nice weather we had this summer? No, we didn't either.

We at BGG have been stuck in traffic back ups that extended miles due to such cutsey fun-time street festivals as The Greenwood Car Show or The Ballard Seafood Fest. Sure, those festivals are fun and you get to feel very EUROPEAN whilst strolling around in the road with your street food and your overpriced tchotchkes in reusable shopping bags. Yeah, that's just awesome! But pity the poor asshole who is trying to get home who can't get across town because some neighborhood decided they wanted to party in the streets.

Give us a flippin' break! Ballard and the City of Seattle can't get their transportation issues together enough to synchronize street lights (something which would save us millions of dollars in wasted commute time/jam time) so you really think this would make people who live here happy? We don't.

Sunset gets Squirrels

2010-09-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

PIZZA....YUMMMMM

And this is better news than you think! We heard that Flying Squirrel pizza will start serving pies at the Sunset on October 10th. We had heard they were coming to Ballard (secrets) but didn't know where exactly until today. Hooray for Max! Can't wait to get our face in some delicious pizza and rock.

Old Scam - New Twist

2010-07-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

The old scam of magazine and books sellers going door-to-door is back and this time they are posing as University of Washington college students "raising money" for study abroad trips. We have from an inside source at the University of Washington Study Abroad Office that several people in the community have called to verify if this in fact is legit. It is NOT. According to our source, the Study Abroad Office and other Departments on campus are not sponsoring any fund raising of this kind. Reports of these tricky door-to-door salesmen have come in from across the Puget Sound region, including Edmonds and Mercer Island.

What to do if someone knocks your door? Well, after you have slammed the door in their faces, it is suggested that you call the police....

Mayor McBeardy is Our Hero!

2010-07-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

Prayers are Answered

Finally, someone in this city is talking some sense! Today the Mayor of Seattle (surprisingly, not the Mayor of Ballard) proposed that bars should be allowed to stay open all night. Hooray! Finally someone running this city is talking sense. Hopefully it will weaken the stranglehold the crazy-restrictive-controlling-antiquated-out-of-touch Washington State liquor board has on our nightlife.

Anyone who travels knows that if you allow bars to close when they want and stagger closing times, it lessens the 2 a.m. crazy time. People drink, get drunk and go home on their own schedules. No one wants a hoard of drunked up fratholes roaming the streets with reckless abandon all at once. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to get a taxi at 2 a.m.? Brilliant, Mayor, brilliant! We are so happy you are our Mayor instead of that blowhole Nickels. Amen.

Now, we only have to hope that the WSLB approves it. Where is our sexy silver haired pol when we need him? Reuven?? A little help please....

WARNING! The Police Read BGG!

2010-07-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

Well Peeps, it appears that Seattle's Finest might be reading Ballard Gossip Girl. This evening at 7:30pm a Seattle Police Department Officer was spotted giving out tickets to cars that were parked front-in in back-in angle parking places. Yes, this has been a rant of BBG writers and apparently, the SPD have caught on. I do not wish anyone a ticket, but come on, read the signs.

Honey Bucket + Fireworks = Melty Mess

2010-06-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

Don't Light Your Farts!

We spied this on our way home this weekend. Evidently, about 9 p.m. on Friday someone threw something explosive into this porta potty. Neighbors said it sounded like fireworks. We're sort of astounded by the mess. It didn't smell at all and had basically reduced the whole thing to a solid pile of plastic.

It also looks like the folks who did it left the top from their Dibs container on accident. Forensic evidence?!

Where Will You Watch?

2010-06-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

All Things ~~Football~~ Soccer

After watching a STUNNING victory by Team USA this morning, we were wondering where we will watch the game on Saturday.

Here at Ballard Gossip Girl Headquarters, we are big ~~Football~~ Soccer supporters. We have signed up to help support the USA bid to bring the World Cup to the states. Which is why we wanted to show you something cool. They have a match finder feature to find a place to watch the games in your area. Click HERE to go to the site. We see that The Dray is showing games but didn't see any other Ballard locations.

What we would also like to point out to our dear friends at Market Arms and Connor Byrne is that they need to list their viewing schedules here!

So kids, get your vuvuzela ready to rock! See you on Saturday!

p.s. Don't forget to sign the petition to bring the World Cup to the US.

Graduates of the Ballard Driving Academy

2010-06-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Another day, another row of cars parked the wrong way.

Hey kids, it's Back In Angle Parking Only! But don't let that pesky sign dictate how you park around town. We know you are graduates of the Ballard School of Driving and you specialize in

Parking by Sound
Driving with your turn signal on - always
Using Curbs to Steer
Turning right, no left, no wait a minute, Stop!

Remember, it's the Ballard way.

In case any of you newcomers need to brush up, here's your Almost Live Ballard Driving Academy Refresher Course. Enjoy!

This pretty much sums it up...

2010-06-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Spotted on Ballard Ave:

Our sentiments exactly!

Location:Ballard avenue

Ballardites Refuse to Read

2010-05-31T23:15:00.000-07:00

The other day I snapped this pic. The sign says BACK IN ANGLE ONLY.....Is this a gross epidemic in Ballard, or just some visitors from the East Side?

Alert: The Sun is Shining!!

2010-05-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ballardites - get out and enjoy the sun while you can! Unbelievable turn of events here, much like "All Summer in a Day," don't miss your chance at the once-every-seven-years glimpse of the sun. Seriously people, it was getting kind of grim around here. So grim that I'm referencing Ray Bradbury stories. Thanks Seattle. Your weather is less sucky right now than it has been for the past, well, what seems like forever.

Amen. Now crank up "Black Hole Sun" and hit the road.

Today's Deal: $10 for $25 Worth of Fried Fare, Barbecue, and Drinks at The Waterwheel Lounge

2010-05-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

You know here at BGG, we love our Waterwheel fried chicken. Well imagine our surprise to wake up with the best groupon deal EVER!

$10 for $25 of Waterwheel delicious fried chicken.
That rocks!

Get out there and get your fried chicken on!

Help Me!

2010-05-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

We saw this the other day when we were waiting at the corner of Dexter and Nickerson. Seems like someone added a little graffiti to Leonard the goldfish's billboard. Nicely done, nicely done. It was gone the next morning.

p.s. you won't see this story on myballard.com's corporate sponsored site, either! The aquarium is one of their many advertisers. Which reminds us to remind YOU, dear reader, that we here at Ballard Gossip Girl are a not for profit local blog. That's right, we work for free and don't take money from the man. Free Press for All!

This Is Going To Be The Greatest Thing to Happen to 15th Avenue EVAR

2010-05-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

All "Pitching A Tent" Jokes Aside....Picolinos Finally Gets It Up

2010-05-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

We checked in for Picolinos Happy Hour last night and found out that it was the inaugural opening of their big top tent. They erected a magnificently large pole in the back patio and now have a green and white tent to shelter diners. We have to say it's quite fabulous! You can see how the tent can be rolled up and down the pole quickly and efficiently. It's...well...wonderful. Go check it out. They're up on 32nd and 65th across from Rain City Video if you didn't know.

Here are some more shots of their patio. I predict it will be the new great place to hang out this summer. By the way, you should also try their butternut squash ravioli pictured below. It's heavenly.

Singles Event at Shelter tonight

2010-05-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

Come join other Ballard singles tonight at Shelter, around 6. We will be gathered around the fire pit. Come for Happy Hour!!

Ballard Art Walk is Saturday!

2010-05-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! I'm sure you're aware that it's probably a good day to let the amateurs run wild at Matador and La Carta. And Azteca as well.

To tide you over until the weekend, we wanted to remind you of two things. First, Ballard Art Walk is coming up on Saturday. And second, it's also Mother's Day Weekend, so that's pretty special. What made us think of it? Well, Gifted sent us a little note to say their Mother's Day menu for art walk includes pear cheesecake, tea sandwiches and chocolate dipped strawberries. YUM! So do your shopping early people! We're sure the Ballard Sunday Market will be packed with strollers, kids, dogs, moms and dads this weekend.

Make Way for Ducklings!

2010-04-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

CUTE OVERLOAD!!

We counted 7 little ducklings in the pond at Golden Gardens. Here's one paddling around. It was so adorable we just had to share it. Go see them while they're little!

The Waterwheel is Growing a Lawn

2010-04-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

TheWaterwheel is closing their parking lot starting Memorial Day Weekend. Why?

Well, they're creating the self proclaimed largest outdoor drinking area in Ballard. They'll be laying down turf and creating an outdoor drinking "garden" for all of us to enjoy. With scenic views of the roaring 15th Ave NW, we cannot wait!

Lawn darts anyone?

Here's what Stu is promising:

Live Music EVERY SUNDAY from 1:00pm to 4:00pm feturing the area's greatest cover bands, as well as some specialty weekends (All 80's, Rockabilly Wheelfest 2010)!
A FULL BAR outside until 10pm !
Outdoor Ping Pong Tournaments!
Lots of giveaways throughout the Summer!

Sounds like a grass-tastic time to us. At least it gets rid of the double parking problem in that crazy lot. Hope to see you there.

City to Rename Ballard - They Want To Call Us Bergen?

2010-04-01T11:04:00.000-07:00

City of Seattle is officially renaming Ballard in honor of our sister city Bergen.

In a shocking move the city council has decided to rename our neighborhood to honor the Norwegian city. Mayor McGinn said that this strong relationship has not received an honor since 1970 when the Seattle Bergen relationship was recognized as the best overall Sister City program. "It's about time we started getting recognized for our strong Norwegian ties. Renaming Ballard is the right thing to do now for our city. Our new neighborhood of Bergen's time is now."

So far, the Mayor of Ballard has yet to comment. We'll keep you posted on the latest developments.

MyBallard singles meet up

2010-03-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

On May 7th at 6, at Shelter, there is going to be a singles meet up. This is for people in our neighborhood that love the myballard.com and ballardgossipgirl blogs. Come out and meet some great singles in the 'hood.

Ballard Bridge Lane Closures

2010-03-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Our friends at the Magnolia Voice or as some BGGers like to call it, the Magnolia Vice, have posted some info on upcoming lane closures on the Ballard Bridge. Check it out...

My Favorite Bartender in Seattle gets some Props

2010-03-20T00:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks, if you haven't visited Moshi Moshi yet, well what is wrong with you? Besides having the BEST sushi in Ballard and Seattle for that matter, they also have the best F'n cocktails around! And finally some people at Seattle Metropolitan Magazine are taking notice....check out this link.

Try the Vesper while you are there....my Favorite!!!

Seriously, Who Goes There?

2010-03-19T23:05:00.001-07:00

Cobblestone Salon

Today we bring you another installment of our Ballard series entitled, "Seriously, who goes there?!" We were driving by the Cobblestone Salon the other day and couldn't help but wonder, who gets their hair done in that salon? It occupies a great space on Market Street near Snoose Junction, but we cannot recall ever seeing anyone go in or out.

In fact, it's shockingly non-digital with nary a review on Google, Yelp or Citysearch. Is the clientele strictly off line? Do they cater to the anti-technology crowd? Is it a front for a sinister shampoo laundering operation? If you are a coiffed customer of Cobblestone, contact us and let us know what that joint is about. Because we can't help but ask, seriously, who goes there?!

Update! Someone named "Nikita" from the Cobblestone contacted us to say they are busy doing hair all the time and have been for 30 years! Wow. Evidently they open at 7 a.m. and do foils and up-dos. We are really excited to see that there are actually people getting their hair done, but honestly, we still can't recall seeing anyone in the salon. If they open at 7 does that mean they close early? We are just super curious since we couldn't find any info about them online. Oh, and they're really offended by our curiosity. Sorry about that.

Does the Media Really Burn Your Butter?

2010-03-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

We thought we should tell you about an event happening today in Ballard. It's the Indy Media Mini-Fest taking place at the Foundry this afternoon - Saturday, March 13th!

Being a neighborhood blogger, we believe in the power of free speech. The Indy Media Mini-Fest will have workshops during the day, a panel discussion and then some bands! And it's all free (with the exception of the after party for which you can donate according to your budget.) We have been to some parties at the Foundry and they have been epic and awesome. Here's the schedule:

3:30 pm Doors open
4:00 pm Workshop: Basic camera
5:00 pm Workshop: Basic editing
6:00 pm Workshop: Using the Web (video distribution, blogging, social media)
7:00 pm Open Panel Discussion: Becoming the Media You Want to See in the World--Three independent media veterans briefly share their experiences followed by open discussion with an emphasis on tactics and real-world practices.
9:00 pm-ish Badlands
10:00 pm-ish Koozbane
11:00 pm-ish DJ Dr. Rich Lehl and Port-a-Party

You can check them out on Facebook by clicking HERE or visit the thinksmall.org Web site. The Viking Fire Foundry is located at 4710 Ballard Ave.

See you there!

p.s. We're looking for writers who live in Ballard. If you're interested, send us an email and tell us why you think you should be a writer for Ballard Gossip Girl. The only requirement is that you live in our hood and you get out of your house every once in a while.

Matador - Fool Me Once, Shame on You. Fool Me Twice, Well, Still Shame on You

2010-02-22T12:39:00.000-08:00

Last week I enjoyed an afternoon at Matador with a fellow BGGer. We had a couple of drinks, some apps and watched some Olympics. When it was time to go, we did what most people do, gave two credit cards and asked them to split the bill down the middle. We each signed our slips, left a nice tip, and off we went. So imagine my surprise when later in the week I was looking at my bank statement online and there appeared not one, but TWO charges from Matador. Instead of splitting the bill between two cards, they put both charges on mine!

I probably wouldn't be so irate if this wasn't the second time they did this. On March 30, 2008 I blogged about this exact same thing!

Seriously, how hard is it to run two separate credit cards?

Google Friends and Fiber Network in Ballard?!

2010-02-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

We would love to participate in a trial for super-high speed internet. Imagine how fast the snark would fly if we were wired for speed?

We personally hate Comcast with a vengence and would love some competition in our neck of the woods. Bring it Google!

Remember, the internet is not a truck. It's a series of tubes. And sometimes those tubes get clogged. So, bring your tube clogging solution to Ballard and let us see what you've got.

Help us campaign, Ballardites! Apply here!

Seriously, Who Goes There?

2010-01-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

Dish D'Lish

It's time for a new post dear readers. This is the first in what we expect to be a long running series called "Seriously, Who Goes There?" This week we'll start out with one of the biggest curiosities on Ballard Avenue - Dish D'lish.

With it's cutesy apostrophized name and pricey sauces, we just can't help but wonder....seriously, who goes there?!

Hello Dear Readers! We're Back!

2010-01-22T15:45:00.001-08:00

We missed you and we're sorry we were away. We were having a fight with our mortal enemy, DNS. You know, Domain Name Servers, those evil persnickety bastards that control web sites.

While we were away, we really wanted to tell you about the Haitiwood event this week. We hope you went. They raised $2,567! We're so proud. If you did miss it, and you want to show your support, you can attend Lovin' Haiti at the Tractor. This even will feature Tripwires, Cute Lepers, Whalebones and Demon Rind. It's on Sunday, January 31st at 8 p.m. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross for relief for Haiti. Click here for more.

We also wanted to tell you about the Magnolia Coyote. A State Fish and Wildlife agent killed the male coyote today. We're kind of sad the coyote and his bride couldn't live in peace amongst the people of Magnolia. We know one of them attacked a dog, but that still makes us sad.

And we wanted to talk about the Sunset Bowl being torn down. There have been many a night recently when we though we really wish we could head to the Sunset Bowl and belt out a few songs or roll some balls. Alas, our bowling days, much like Kingpin's hand, are in the past. Pour one out for the Sunset this weekend, folks! Keep her forever in your hearts.

It's Beard and Moustache Time Again!

2010-01-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

Throw out your Razors!

We're so very excited to let you know that the Beard & Stache Fest is once again getting underway next month. It's a hairy contest that raises money to help out foster kids.

If you have a beardtastic face and want to compete in this wonderful non-profit event, you have one last chance. Take your hair filled face over to the Beard & Stache Web site's registration form. The photography session is TOMORROW, January 6th, in the U-District, so hurry up.

For those of you who don't have beards or groovy staches, you can participate as well by supporting the beardy contestants at a series of events in February. We have to say that we went to some of these events last year and they were tons of fun. I don't know if it's just because we happen to know last year's winner or what, but we found these stachetastic events are filled with big-drinking fun-having friendly folks. And it doesn't hurt that mustaches really tickle our fancy!

Happy New Year from BGG

2010-01-01T09:44:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year from all your friends at Ballard Gossip Girl. Last night was fantastic and I actually woke up in bed that wasn't my own.

We wish you a peaceful, prosperous, and gossip filled 2010.

Happy New Year...now let's recover.

New Years Eve-Ballard Style

2009-12-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

This Gossip Girl is torn on where to spend her New Years Eve. Does anyone have any suggestions? Hatties? BalMar? Hazlewood? Smoke Shop? Moshi Moshi? Kings? WaterWheel? This list goes on and on.

Let us know Ballard where you will be and maybe I will see you at midnight for a kiss.

Santa Baby

2009-12-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Ho Ho Ho!
We just wanted to let you know that we saw the Macy's Santa again today and he waived to us. Santa! It made our day.

If you are going to get your picture with Santa or just really want to sit on his lap (you know who you are!) we at BGG would highly recommend the Macy's Santa! He has a REAL beard and is very Santa-like. And Moms and Dads should know when we have walked by there was no line! All those suckers going to Nordstrom's to wait outside in the cold are going to waste a lot of time.

Seriously do we need another hamburger joint in Ballard?

2009-12-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

On my drive back to my office today passing Malena's (I don't get why people love this place so much) Tacos I noticed a new hamburger joint going in next door! Seattle Hamburger the sign read. Really? Another hamburger joint in Ballard? Let's count the number already established:

1. Scooter's

2. Zak's

3. Hamburger Harry's

4. Zesto's (I would never eat here)

5. Ballard Brother's Burgers

6. The Counter

7. Lunchbox Laboratory

8. Dick's (I consider Holman Road...North Ballard)

Plus the countless fast food and full service restaurants that sell burgers beyond their normal offerings (Louie's Cuisine of China has a great burger). Enough Ballard; we don't need another burger joint!

Things I miss in Ballard at the Holidays

2009-12-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Driving home tonight on Market Street I was sad to see another year without the snowflake lights hanging from our lamp posts. I thought maybe this year they would return.

Other things I will miss:

1. Olsen's Scandinavian Foods and all the hustle and bustle of hungry Scandinavians buying their Christmas staples.

2. Scandinavian Gift Shop....I know this was gone last year too but it still hurts.

3. Sunset Bowl...how sad it is too look at the big space left to deteriorate in front of us.

4. Denny's ditto

I am sure I will remember more and more things but I am off to eat my chocolate from my advent calendar.

Have a great week.

Halloween = Dress Up

2009-10-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

We added a poll on the left to find out what you'll be wearing!

Email us at gossip@ballardgossipgirl.com if your costume's not on the list.

Jeff wrote in to suggest Leif Bearickson (is that a naked Viking?) and the Discovery Park Cougar. We're not technically old enough to be considered a Cougar, but we like how you're thinking!

Holy Sheet, It's Almost Halloween!

2009-10-27T10:31:00.001-07:00

Ballardites - where are you going to party on Halloween? We want to know! Mostly because we haven't been invited to any good parties. Actually we haven't been invited to any at all and haven't heard of any huge events happening in our hood.

Let us know what are you dressing up as this Saturday and tell us where you're going. We're trying to decide if we're just old and lame or if Ballard is wimping out on this spectacular dress up holiday.

Happy Fourth Birthday Hazlewood!

2009-10-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Has it really been four years? Today is Hazlewood's 4th Anniversary.

To celebrate, it's Happy Hour all day today. They'll have DJ's spinning til close so get your arse down there celebrate Sunday Funday the right way.

Cheers to the Wood!

Encanto in Ballard

2009-10-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

We were intrigued to see that the lovely Encanto Barcelona is opening up shop in Ballard. We adore their store on First Avenue downtown! This weekend we were able to take a sneak peak in the store to see what they're setting up. It looks great people.

The shop owner said they'll be opening in a few weeks. And he mentioned a discount code but we're not giving it up! Go talk to him to get it. The new store is on Old Ballard Ave where Kavu was located. (Kavu moved next door.)

Ballard Barkeep Stabbed

2009-10-12T21:03:00.001-07:00

The Seattle Times is reporting that the manager of a bar on the 2200 block of Market Street was stabbed after he and a patron got into an argument last night. Shocking! The manager was treated and released from Harborview.

What bar is it? Anyone know? I'm thinking it's either Lombardi's or Matador. We'll have to chalk up another stabby bar - you know, like Goofy's and Golden City. If it was Matador, we were there hours before. Freaky. I thought the manager was a woman as well. That sucks.

Sunday is Funday!

2009-09-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

Perhaps inspired a Pho shop opening RIGHT NEXT DOOR to Anne's Teriyaki, which also happens to serve Pho, we were so pleasantly surprised to learn that Anne's is now open on Sunday. People, this is God's day and we can't think of a better way to celebrate Him than with a nice plate of affordable food from Anne. We ate there on Sunday and were so Happy It Was Open! Probably because we are firm believers in their Tofu Sate as a miracle cure for hangovers. We highly recommend it. Now go get some.

Market Street = The New University Ave?

2009-09-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

=

Have you noticed that Market Street is starting to look a lot like the Ave? The recent addition of another Pho Restaurant, Buffalo Exchange and an upcoming Head Shop made us think so. Vote in our Poll (at left) and let us know which new business will make it more like the Ave!

The Votes Are In

Great job voting folks! Thanks for participating. As you can see in our poll to the left, most people think that a head shop will tip the scales on Market making it more like the Ave. We agree! So go welcome the owners of Market Street's newest "smoke" shop once it's open. It's located next to the liquor store (how convenient) and is called something like Best Smoke Shop.

Golden City Expands!!

2009-09-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah!
Our sources tell us the Old 'n' Sh*tty has expanded to accommodate more strong drink awesomeness. They are now occupying the space next door - you know - where Scream was. Imagine expanding in this economy! We're thinking it's the bar business that's keeping them going since we never really see anyone in the actual restaurant place.

The Ballard Gossip Gals now have something to look forward to this fall besides tailgates, rain soaked trudges down Market, and happy hour pub crawls. We'll check it out and post some pictures as soon as we can. If you beat us to it, send us your pics.

A Blogger We Like

2009-08-24T15:04:00.000-07:00

We were reading the Seattle P.I.'s police blotter blog and came across this item about our neighbors to the North. We just wanted to share it with you because we read it quite often and find the writers hilarious.

Teens catch break after being caught with booze on Aurora

Four teens who were boozing on the roof of an Aurora Avenue North strip mall caught a break after being caught by police last week.

About 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, police were called to people partying in the 9900 block of Aurora Avenue North. An officer saw a long ladder attached by a chain to the north end of the building, and while investigating another found a half empty 1.75-liter bottle of Pancho Villa Tequila.

"At first the group said they saw the ladder and decided they were just going to explore," officer Marcus Inouye wrote in his report. "When the liquor was brought up (one of the young women) said she had brought it and carried it up the 30-40 foot ladder, such that the other individuals knew that it was there."

The teens – two young men, a woman and a girl – were released after police dumped the alcohol on the ground. The report does not detail why they were released.

It's presumed they warned the teens about the dangers of drinking, though it's not clear if they were reprimanded for their taste in tequila.

Bravo to those sassy mouthed staff writers! Keep the zingers coming. Oh, and we would have lectured them about the hazards of cheap tequila as well. Teens have to learn it somewhere!

Ballard Rejects Nickels

2009-08-21T15:17:00.001-07:00

How'd We Vote?

Well, we like Nickels less than the rest of the city. While he managed to get 25.6% of the citywide vote, according to King County's preliminary web results, only 21% of Ballard voters picked Nickels. Actually, our district includes Queen Anne, Magnolia, Fremont, Greenwood and Belltown but close enough. Here's how our district voted by our rough calculations.

McGinn - 28%
Mallahan - 27%
Nickels - 21%

So now that he has conceded, who do you think should be our next mayor? And what should they do for Ballard? Here is our list.

Synchronize traffic lights along Market Street from 8th to 24th.
Stop or reduce development of multi-family dwellings (condos!).
Fix the Missing Link.

What do you think?

Nickels 86'd?

2009-08-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's not looking good for old Nickels. He's trailing McGinn and Mallahan but it's very close. In fact, so close there will most likely be an automatic recount.

The bag fee is failing which just goes to show you that big chemical companies still have the power to overturn grassroots campaigns! Well, at least we can count on something these days.

Which brings us to another topic. As we're busy picking Seattle's mayor we should consider who we would like as the Mayor of Ballard. Thoughts?! Perhaps we should do a poll.

Please Remember to Vote Today!

2009-08-18T09:44:00.001-07:00

Please remember to 86 Nickels today. It's the last day to mail in your primary ballot. We know you have it sitting at home on your coffee table, so get that thing filled out!

We approve of these folks:

King County Executive
Dow Constantine

Port of Seattle
Rob Holland
Max Vekich

Mayor
Mike McGinn!

We're thinking of voting against the bag fee. We think it's a regressive tax that will impact the poor more than the rich. And seriously, what will we scoop poop with? On the other hand, plastic bag pollution is out of control. Hmmm. It's really out of control. Okay, maybe we'll vote for it. Plus, we have really cute shopping bags.

We just can't talk about the election without talking about the Goodspaceguy. Seriously, this guy is running for King County Executive and that's his name. Check your ballot. "Goodspaceguy requests that you think of yourselves as crew members of Spaceship Earth. Goodspaceguy wants you to help solve world problems by example: How high can you help to raise knowledge and the quality of living in King County?" Wow!

Here are some links to other endorsements and information:

Progressive Voter's Guide (don't pay attention to the part where they endorse Nickels. Remember the snow storm fiasco? Just to name one of his f*ck ups)

The Stranger We like their endorsement of McGinn, "He's mayor-shaped."

King County Elections

League of Women Voters

We also wanted to let you know you can drop off your ballot without postage at the ballot drop box in Ballard at the Seattle Neighborhood Service Center - 5604 22nd Ave NW. It's at the library in case you aren't familiar with it.

Strange noises in the night?

2009-08-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

We received an interesting email from a reader about strange noises in Ballard last night. Devin was wondering if anyone else living around 15th was sleepless. It sort of sounds like a small remote control plane to us. What do you think? Here's what he says:

I live at 15^th and Ballard and couldn’t sleep last night, and started to fall asleep at around 2:15am. As I was trying to fall asleep I heard to me what sounded like a very loud leaf blower, turning on at full force, and then relaxing. Went on for about 40 minutes and bugged the hell out of me.

A buddy I work with lives in Greenwood actually heard the same noise. He claims it sounded like a plane overheard, and reported the same intervals of coming on strong and then relaxing.

Have you heard anything else from peeps in Ballard about what the hell this was?

We looked at the 911 dispatch list for last night and didn't see anything around 2 a.m. that would make a bunch of noise. Very curious! Maybe they're spraying for moths in the dark of night again. We, unfortunately, have been suffering from insomnia lately and have earplugs and a fan to help us sleep so we didn't hear a thing. That we remember anyway.

I Want My MTV!

2009-08-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Be on MTV this afternoon at the Tractor Tavern! According to their Facebook page, MTV is shooting The Maldives at the Tractor. Here's what they say:

Who wants to be on MTV? Who want to be on MTV with The Maldives? MTV is shooting an episode of “$5 Cover” feat. The Maldives this afternoon at the Tractor. If you or someone you know wants to be an extra come on down. It’s from 3pm to 9pm. Dress as you normally would, BUT no white, no corporate logos, no images of real people etc. and you must be over 21 so leave the kids at home, sorry.

In case you're not familiar with the Maldives, they're a local alt-country band. All you pretty people of Ballard who happen to be not working on a Monday afternoon better get on down there.

Best of Ballard

2009-07-31T14:07:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again when the Ballard News Tribune puts out the Best of Ballard poll. We think it's a shame that they don't have a Best Blog category because we know we would win ...sorry My Ballard. :)

But make sure to fill out the ballot and support your favorite businesses. I know some of ours include: Oaxaca, The Smoke Shop, Ann's, Moshi Moshi, Clover, & Hazlewood.

Some additional categories could include:

Best Bridge:

Best Vacant Condominium Building:

Best Parade:

Nicest Homeless Person:

And what happened to Best Bartender?

Vote strong Ballard! And remember to ask for Best Blog next year!

To vote click the title link.

Representin' Our Hood

2009-07-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Update!

It came as quite a surprise to us when we received an email from our representative, Reuven Carlyle, asking if we would add a link to his site. If you recall, we linked to his legislative site when we were urging the public to protest the new liquor tax.

It turns out that our Silver Fox politico likes our site and gets some traffic from us! "Hey, I get a number of clicks from your awesome site...not sure if you get many from me. Could I get a link from your site since I represent Ballard in the Legislature and try and be relatively cool (that a father of 4 can muster in a minivan!). "

Well, we think you're pretty cool! Especially if you can help repeal that stupid new liquor tax. Oh, and our other pet peeve about our fair city - WHY CAN'T WE GET SYNCHRONIZED LIGHTS ALONG MARKET STREET?! This is the 21st Century people. So, Reuven, anything you can do to help with that would be awesome. Thanks!

Update:
Reuven responded to our plea. Here's what he found out - basically, our lights are old and tired and too many old and tired people are walking around Ballard for them to fix it.

BGG,

Here's the response from Seattle DOT about the signals along Market that you asked me to tackle for you.

Hum....how's this for a non answer answer?! Always takes more, more. Sheesh.

"The signals on NW Market St. between 8th Ave. N.W. and 24th Ave. N.W. were synchronized in 2008. SDOT does re-calibrate the signal synchronization periodically as needed.

There are a few items to take into account with respect to optimizing this corridor. There are high volumes of pedestrians. As a result, we need to balance the needs of the pedestrians and vehicles traversing the corridor, which will result in less than optimum conditions for vehicle progression. In addition, with the close proximity of the fire station just west of 15th Ave. N.W., Market Street experiences a high number of emergency responses throughout the day, resulting in the signal system not operating in a coordinated fashion for periods of time. Parking activities along Market Street also contribute to less than optimal conditions for progression. This corridor also has some of the oldest electronics running the intersections, limiting our ability to provide the very best results. We have applied for grant funding over the past years to upgrade the system in downtown Ballard, but to this point, we have been unsuccessful in doing so."

I have no idea what this means in English.

Your partner in service,

Reuven "Ballard's Foxy Pol" Carlyle :-)
State Representative
36th District--the heart, soul, passion and spirit of Seattle

Motorcyclist Injured on 24th and 56th

2009-07-20T09:54:00.001-07:00

We saw a FedEx Kinkos van hit a motorcyclist this morning at about 8:10 a.m. The van was turning left onto 56th and hit the cyclist. The driver of the motorcyclist was moving around but we are pretty sure they were hurt badly. Thank you to all of the motorists who stopped to help. Our thoughts go out to everyone involved.

Wash and Fold Service?

2009-07-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

Wash and Fold Dry Cleaner or Laundromat...

Anyone know of a wash and fold service in Ballard or the surrounding area? You know, the kind where you can drop of laundry and they weigh it, wash, dry and fold it for you.

Toad and Salmon's Chowder Bowl

2009-07-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

This sounds fun....see you all there I hope!

Toad and Salmon's Chowder Bowl July 18, 10:00amThe chowderbowl in Seattle is a one of a kind event that has a skateboard bowl contest, as well as a chowder cook off. This event will take place Saturday July 18th at the Ballard Commons park. There are cash, and product prizes, with skateboard participants being judged in the bowl and the chowder being judged against other entrants. There is a world class panel of judges for both.The production crew expects close to 250 spectators and close to 75 entrants. This event is free to the public, and everyone is welcome. The event starts at 12 noon and goes until 5 pm. The chowderbowl is going to be off the hook! Come support Seattle's skateboard and chowder scene!

Friday Rush Hour Ship Canal Nightmare - maybe

2009-07-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Alert Alert Alert!

We just found out that the Ballard, Fremont, Montlake and University Bridges will all close intermittently during rush hour tonight! Beware drivers, it could be a mess. A barge carrying a huge part of the I90 bridge will be passing through the ship canal according to Q13. Here's a link to their article.

We absolutely cannot believe they would allow the bridges to go up during rush hour. What would Chris Tucker say? I mean, really.

Let us know if you see the barge pass - maybe they'll get it done early!

Portage Bay Cafe Open Today

2009-07-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

Update - Portage Bay Cafe is open Today! Go check them out and let us know what you think. 2821 NW Market St.

We're thrilled to hear that PBC has most of their permits ready. Amy says they are looking to open this Friday. This could be the best brunch weekend in Ballard yet.

Edith Macefield Would Be Pissed

2009-07-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

We're just saying...this is a whole lot of attention she might not have wanted for her or her house.

Hold on to what is important to you. It's not necessarily a publicity stunt for a motivational speaker - or scam artist depending on who you believe. According to the Seattle Times, Greg Pinneo has served time for a loan scam in 97.

" A Seattle-area entrepreneur who ran a real-estate loan scam has been sentenced to 13 months in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Gregory Pinneo, 38, was among four people sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge William Dwyer in a so-called "no money down" real-estate-financing scheme."

From the P.I. in '07, "I liked the old Ballard," Macefield said. "The new one -- you can have it."

We all know what she meant to us. What do you think?

Portage Bay Cafe Will Open in July!

2009-06-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

Portage Bay Cafe owners John and Amy say the local, organic and sustainable restaurant will open on July 7th. They'll be located at 2821 NW Market Street where Grace's Kitchen was located.

This will be a great addition to Ballard's booming brunch scene and another alternative for lunch. They'll be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We can't wait to try the food with a conscientious philosophy behind it. They get their food from local farms like Full Circle, organic joints like Great Harvest Bakery and feature Fonte Organic coffee. We're bringing our appetite!

Max is Back

2009-06-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hattie's Hat is being sold by its current owners to Max Genereaux who you may know as the owner of Al's and The Sunset. What you might not know is that Max used to wash dishes and bartend at Hattie's. Yep, just a little old Ballard history for ya.

The Seattle Weekly says that Max will be removing that Gawd Awful fish tank from the back room and re-introducing music nights. Thank the Lord - it's about time someone took that hideous tank out of the back room.

Personal Note to Evan Dando...

2009-06-15T11:33:00.001-07:00

Lemonheads, Tractor, Friday Night

Okay, this is a terrible picture, but we just wanted to take this opportunity to say, "WASH YOUR F*CKING HAIR EVAN DANDO!"

We probably wouldn't care about your hair that much if you hadn't delivered such a lackluster piece of crap performance. Mumbling and uninspired are the best things we can say about it. At least you looked like you wanted to get it done with as quickly as we did.

You should know that your status as an Indie Rock Sex Symbol and one of the only truly Hot Guys in an alt-band is hereby revoked. Actually, it probably was revoked long ago but it took us this long to get around to seeing you.

I Want You to Take Me Home

2009-06-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Ballardites - June is Adopt-A-Cat month at the Seattle Humane society. They're waiving all adoption fees on cats over a year old if you bring in a donation of cat food. This weekend they're also adding a seriously great incentive - Popsicles for kids! How could you resist?

This little lady to our left is named Ziggystardust and we think she's really cute. If we didn't already have our fill of pets, we would be making our way down to the Human Society to check out some kitties. We'll be donating to the Humane Society instead. Here's a link if you want to help out!

There are a number of really great reasons to adopt older cats instead of kittens. Everyone loves kittens so they are usually adopted quickly, but there are many great cats looking for a home. Older cats are more mellow than kittens which makes them much more sutiable for children. They're less likely to claw or scratch kids. Adult cats have developed personalities and are less likely to surprise you with unexpected behavior or temperment. And older cats really like to cuddle. What's better than that? Oh, yeah, owning cats lowers your blood pressure and fights depression. You can see the cats and dogs that are available for adoption on the Humane Society's web site - www.seattlehumane.org/adopt. People, it's serious cute overload.

The Seattle Humane Society is located in Bellevue (what? I know!) at 13212 SE Eastgate Way. They're open 7 days a week from noon to 6 p.m. Now, go adopt a cat and send us pictures!

Beware of the Bicycling Meter Maids!

2009-06-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

We're very careful about paying for parking in Ballard. We know the drill, we pay at the pay station, stick the sticker in our car and go about our business... We also keep an eye out for those pesky parking cops on their Segways and Scooters.

But alas, we weren't paying attention to the time and we have received a parking ticket - at 10 minutes to 6 for cripes sake. But what shocked us was that this new breed of Ballard parking cop is handing out tickets from the seat of their bicycle!

Yeah, we know we were in the wrong, we should have paid parking during our 2 minute errand. And we'll suck it up and pay. But we thought we'd warn you parking risk takers to be on the look out for these two wheeled harbingers of annoyance.

Chase Online Can Suck It

2009-06-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

As a long time Washington Mutual customer, we've been muddling through the conversion to Chase. But we've finally had enough. No, not when they changed the signage on the Ballard branch, but when they switched us over to Chase Online. We just wanted to say we think their online interface sucks. You can't drill into more details on transactions and it's poorly designed. We just wanted to gripe about it. Oh, yeah, and it's going to be a scorcher in Ballard today.

Any suggestions for a new bank?

The WaterWheel's new menu

2009-05-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

The Waterwheel Lounge is hosting their first annual DrunkFest, on Sunday May 24th. Sounds like it will be a good time. Stu has mentioned he will annouce his new BBQ menu that day. The Waterwheel is changing their menu, and going all BBQ. (Don't worry, the fried chicken isnt going anywhere!)

I have tried his homemade BBQ sauce, and it's quite delicious. So, come see for yourself on May 24th. Would love to know what you all think!

Stupid Liquor Board Ruining Our Life Again

2009-05-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

The price of booze is going up drinky friends. Beware! Expect to see price increases at your local liquor store and at bars and restaurants. The Washington State Liquor board approved a tax increase of more than 10% to go into effect August.

According to the sin tax loving board's whiskey example, here's what you'll be paying:

Premium whiskey priced today at $41.95 would be approximately $45.65 under the new formula. A value whiskey priced today at $10.95 would be approximately $11.85 as of August 1, 2009.

And who knows how much bars will start marking up drinks. What should a recession stressed liquor lover do?

Start hoarding liquor now!
Email the liquor board and suggest they open all liquor stores on Sundays to make up for lost revenue instead of increasing sin taxes. Write to them at comments@liq.wa.gov
Tell your state reps you're pissed! Ballard is in the 36th district. Here's who to contact with links to their contact information:

Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles
Rep. Reuven Carlyle
Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson

Rise Up People! Rise Up!

Waterwheel Street Side Sign Alight!

2009-05-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

It's Alive! Wheel Be Able To Find You Now!

The sign at the Waterwheel is lit up after years and years and years of being dark. Isn't it amazing? We think we'll be craving a martini and cheeseburger dinner more regularly.

Thanks go out to the new owners decided it was time to light the beacon of hope on 15th. We think this will help us find that tricky parking lot as we fly by.

It's Industry Night

2009-05-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

Monday Night is Industry Night in Ballard

We thought we'd be kind to our local bartenders and waiters by letting them know where they can go out in Ballard for Industry Night deals. While some of these deals are exclusive for servers, I think some places may give these deals to everyone.

Waterwheel: $2 Beers and $4 Jagers. And have you looked at their new site?
BalMar: Happy Hour food til 10 p.m.
Loft: Manic Monday Industry Night (must show industry proof)
MoshiMoshi: They have an industry special - ask about it if you're industry

Okay where else do they have industry night? Help us Obi One, you're our only hope.

Syttende Gay Returns! Hej!

2009-04-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

IT'S BACK!

May 17th (or Syttende May in Norwegian) is Ballard's biggest day of the year. It's Norwegian Constitution Day and it's one of the largest Norwegian parades outside of Norway. The Syttende Mai Parade will again feature the fabulous Syttende Gay event at BalMar - their event name is quite clever. All of the local Scandigavians will be there to watch.

Where will you watch? The BGG has our patio reserved and we've started planning for the day. The parade starts at 4:00 p.m. near Adam's Elementary on 24th and 62nd. The route follows 24th down to Market Street where they head east toward Bergen Place.

It's actually not too late to apply to march in the parade. You can get the application here.

As we've said before, we really love the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team. Here's a video of them we found on YouTube. Enjoy!

Dirty Little Party and Famous People

2009-04-29T15:42:00.001-07:00

In case you have been salivating since you heard Lindsay and Sam split, you can get your chance to see the high profile man-waif spin here in Seattle. "DJ" Samantha Ronson will be spinning at DList Magazine's anniversary party in Fremont. (Although we're way more fond of her brother's work - especially the lovely remix of the Klaxons' Valerie featuring Ms. Winehouse.)

They're promoting a pretty interesting group of people including tan-o-riffic Blayne Walsh from Project Runway.

You can get some tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com for the May 14th show. Now's your chance for you to famewhore around in your own neighborhood!

New BECU Branch in Ballard Square

2009-04-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

We confirmed with BECU that they will be moving from their current location to the Ballard Square building at 2232 NW Market St. BECU's Media contact Todd Pietzsch says they have outgrown their space in Safeway.

BECU be in the building where SuperCuts and The Tux Shop were located. According to BECU, "We are projecting opening in July."

Thanks go out to BGG reader Anna Jacobs for the question!

Quick Gossip

2009-04-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

We hear there's a time capsule buried in the cement in front of Hazlewood. They put it there when they were replacing the sewer lines a while back. Do you know what's in it?
The Waterwheel made the top 10 in Mike Seely's new book Seattle's Best Dive Bars. Go Wheel!
Beloved former Lockspot bartender Kevin has been seen making a few guest appearances at the Spot.
Is it just us or have there been an amazing number of lights-flashing-sirens-blaring ambulances and fire trucks screaming down Market lately? WTF!
Kiss Cafe has a new(ish) addition to their bar after a holiday remodel. You haven't been yet? Get in there! Great grilled sandwiches, amazing rotating bottled beer selection and really great staff. Ladies - The 99 Bottles of Beer Club is being sorely under-represented by women. Drink 99 bottles, get your own etched beer glass (they are super nice) and become part of the Ballard Drinking Team. Why is that cool? Well, we happen to know a lady who is a member and they throw wild parties. Just sayin'
What Market Street bar is already preparing for the 17th of May Parade? Where will you watch?
Have you tried the Blue Plate Special at Hi-Life? We did and it's a recession era gem! Get while they still offer it.

BGG to Mariners - We Can't Take It Anymore!

2009-04-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

Note to the Seattle Mariners:

Seriously, Mariners, get your game together! We're fans and all but we don't have the emotional strength to take another crappy year. I know you're playing right now and you might win with Washburn on the mound, but starting out the season with two stinking losses and a weak pitching lineup doesn't bode well for us.

Yeah, we know there are a lot of games in the season. But come on! We need you to be winners. Please? Pretty Please?

Update: Okay! You won. Thank you. Really, thank you. Keep it up. Nice Job Mr. Washburn. We mean it. We'll see you at Safeco and we want you to be awesome.

Mayoral Election Buzz - Nickelsville in The News

2009-03-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

We noticed the upcoming Seattle Mayoral election is starting to get more press.

First of all, we'd like to remind you who we won't be supporting this fall! Please refer to our previous rant about our current mayor. After the colossal F*ck Up Job the Mayor and his staff did during the Great Snow Storm of '09 we added another item to our list of Things We Think A Golden Retriever Can Do Better Than Our Mayor.

Nickels did a really nice job today of getting mentioned on the mother flippin' FRONT PAGE of the New York Times in an article about the spread of Tent Cities across the nation! Looks like stigma of Nickelsville, much like our homeless problem, just won't go away on it's own, will it?

We're very excited to see some folks in Seattle actually step up and run for mayor. We laughed when Dan Savage said he'd run and the city took him seriously.

Now it looks like sexy former Super Sonic James Donaldson has thrown in his hat along with beard-o-licious Michael McGinn. Hurray! We're really excited to see who else will be on the ballot.

Deadliest CatchCon

2009-03-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

A little tidbit I picked up from the Seattle PI big blog.

Deadliest CatchCon is coming to Seattle. Here is your chance to be on TV! :)

Register now, because I imagine seats will go fast.

Unsure About Your Bracket? Ask a Gossip Girl!

2009-03-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

March Madness is upon us and we could not be more excited. (Homage to our BB hero at left.)

We would like to remind everyone of our tried-and-true recipe for success in picking winning brackets. The girls have a pretty good record .

Being benevolent and adoring sports fans, we will once again share with you some tips for your picks.

How A Gossip Girl Picks Her Bracket

We have much better things to do than to pour over stats and watch Sports Center. We have come up with a surefire way to pick wins. We're sharing our secret because sometimes it's painful to keep this much genius inside.

Our method involves looking at the players, coaches and cheerleaders. It involves a little TV time and some internet searches. Why waste time with those pesky seeds and field goal percentages? Evaluate each team on the following arbitrary points and make your bracket picks accordingly.

Cheerleaders wear turtlenecks? LOSE

Bare midriff cheerleaders? WIN!

Players with Hot Tattoos? WIN!

Players have black shoes and black socks? WIN!

High socks? WIN!

Low socks? LOSE!

Player with Really Long Jesus-like hair, playing on Easter weekend? WIN!

High percentage of Ugly Knee Braces? LOSE!

One guy with weird Plastic Face Mask Thing - WIN!

Pre-game speech about destiny and God? LOSE!

Pre-game speech about Mom and team attitude? WIN!

Prominent player with Headband? WIN!

Chair throwing Coach? WIN!

Crying coach? LOSE!

And remember, don't choose with your emotions. It's the emotional choices that will burn you in the end although we admit we're developing a serious soft spot for Huskies.

Happy Happy Hour

2009-02-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

This BGG stopped by Moshi Moshi for happy hour this evening and I must say, Yummy Yummy. The happy hour menu, unlike some restaurants, actually features several of their mouth-watering selections at prices that will not make your bank account cry. Not only is the food delectable, the owners, chefs and staff are attentive and uber-friendly. Seriously people, get in there! Oh, and they serve food until 12:55am on Friday and Saturday nights for all you Rebel Rousers.

Update: The Seattle Times reviewed the cocktails at Moshi Moshi and profiled tat-tastic bartender Erik Carlson. We don't want to say we told you so, but we will anyway. We heartily agree that the drinks are not to be missed! Check their review here.

It's No Longer Greek To Me - Plaka Explained

2009-02-24T09:40:00.001-08:00

Plaka Estiatorio!

We received a nice note from Tony of Plaka Estiatorio explaining what their name means. According to Tony, "'Plaka' is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Athens, Greece. 'Estiatorio' is the Greek word for restaurant." So there you go, our own Greek Neighborhood Restaurant coming to Ballard.

Tony said they're aiming to open early next month. We'll let you know as soon as we find out.

Their web site is updated and contains a fun construction slide show. We just realized from looking at the photos that they are in the old Watch Repair shop. What a transformation they have made so far. We've included a peek at the inside and our favorite construction picture. It's hard work taking down lights!

They're located at 5407 20th Avenue NW near Epilogue books and the Thai Restaurant.

We can't wait to see what's on their menu!

Review of Shiku sushi

2009-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

My dad and I really wanted Sushi last night, and was looking forward to trying Moshi Moshi, but to my dismay it was closed. So we walked next door and tried Shiku sushi. I was happy I could get my sushi fix on a Sunday, which is difficult to do. As we entered the door I was glad it was a little chilly, a cold sushi restaurant is a good sushi restaurant. We were greeted at the door by a nice young man, we settled up to the Sushi bar, and were ready to eat.

Johnny-son and Cook were the sushi chefs. Johnny was quite entertaining actually, and their Blues Brothers hats added to the atmosphere.

The sushi I had was some of the best I have had in a long time. The Salmon, Albacore, and Yellow Tail was so fresh is melted in my mouth. There were nice touches as well, a bit of citrus on the tuna, avocado on the Salmon, and lime on the yellow tail. Those slight enhancements really brought out the taste of the fish. I was pleasantly surprised. As we were wrapping up dinner, the owner Robbie, came out and chatted. He is a nice guy, and a lot younger that I expected. But good for him bringing Sushi to Ballard.

I am looking forward to trying Moshi Moshi, which according to Robbie, has a more traditional flare.

Check out Shiku, it is worth it.

I am obsessed with BACON SALT!

2009-02-11T15:26:00.000-08:00

About 2 years ago I was at the Viking, and the good bartender Rob had me try some popcorn. On the popcorn was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted.....BACON SALT.

Since then I have had a mild obsession with the stuff. This Christmas, in the blizzard, I walked all over Ballard trying to find the stuff. (Finally located it at Bartells, although Ballard Market carries it but by the seafood case near the butcher). All my people got the 3 flavors I could find (original, peppered and hickory)

Everyone was psyched at the idea of bacon salt but have yet to come up with recipes that would require such an ingredient....so here is my list of things that are better with BACON SALT!!

-Popcorn
-Egg Salad
-Mac and Cheese
-Vegetables (sprinkle over brocolli, it's delicious)
-Tuna Salad
-Fried Eggs
-Fried Pork Chops

Anyone else have some good uses for bacon salt?!?! And I cant wait to try the Baconnaise!!!

New Greek in Ballard

2009-02-07T17:05:00.001-08:00

Plaka Estiatorio

We spied this sign up for a new restaurant coming to Ballard. This is the place between The Thai Cafe and Epilogue Books.

It looks like it will be called Plaka Estiatorio but we don't know what that means....and is going to be Greek. Their website says they'll be bringing authentic Greek to Ballard. We at BGG were pretty interested in it since it's about time someone did something different around here.

Let us know if you find out when they open or if you get a sneak peek.

Moshi Moshi Open Open

2009-02-04T23:24:00.000-08:00

It was on like Donkey Kong at Moshi Moshi tonight for their soft opening.

We'd like to say we took great pictures of the sushi, but it made its way into our mouths so quickly we forgot to get out the camera. Please examine our afterthought photos of the nice light fixtures by our table instead.

Drinks - Outstanding
Although they don't have any signature drinks featuring our primary liquid vodka, the gin and rum cocktails will blow your socks off. And maybe your skirts, too.

Food - Unbelievably Good
Among our highlights were delicious age dashi tofu, a chirashi bowl with amazing fish and shiitake mushrooms, melt in your mouth tuna, and a seared salmon belly we will dream about.

Get in there Ballard. It's good. Oh, and while we dream about salmon bellies, we'd like to lay on the bar and stare for hours at the LED cherry blossom tree forgetting time and leaving our dignity at the door. One day....one day...

p.s. They say they are hoping to open for lunch in a couple of months.

Private Home in Old Azteca

2009-02-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

We at BGG received an email regarding the construction occurring on Seaview Avenue where Azteca used to be. Well it is in fact a private residence and our friends at My Ballard had some info: http://www.myballard.com/2008/04/29/whats-that-building-next-to-rays/

Now we know it says it is going to be a business but we all know the truth.

We love answering your questions; so send them in.

Moshi Moshi Countdown

2009-02-02T11:20:00.001-08:00

Update: Moshi Moshi Sushi opens Tomorrow! We'll get some sneak peek pictures and reviews for you tonight.

Looks like the new joint will be ready for a mid-week trial for friends and family but open to the public by this weekend. We'll let you know when we get a definite public grand opening date.

Note: One of our intrepid readers posed this question which we think deserves an answer.

Hi girl,

Do you have an address for this bait shop? What is a $2 PBR?

Thanks.

The address of Moshi Moshi is 5324 Ballard Ave NW. It's across the street from the Other Coast Cafe if that helps.

A $2 PBR is a specially priced beverage of the beer variety. A popular sip among the hip, working class, collegiate or destitute, Pabst Blue Ribbon is an American malted beverage originally hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The brand has seen a swell in popularity in the last 7 or so years due to what some describe as their Anti-Marketing Marketing i.e. they don't really do any marketing at all.