Month: August 2014

Cafe thoughts

Carl Setzer

As I’m sitting in Lynnwood’s Cafe Ladro, enjoying the cafe vibe, memories are triggered. Thinking of my beloved B&O and bauhaus from the years I lived on Capitol Hill. The ambiance of an urban cafe is unique, and these two captured the emotion of that point of my life.

Now I find myself back in the suburbs that I’d reviled as a young man. Just a few meters from the house my parents settled in, where I consider myself “raised”. Coffee tastes similar, though my relationship to it has greatly changed. The grey skies and driving drizzle pull out similar ties to that time, yet they’re over strip malls not the lovely, gritty buildings of Seattle.

So, B&O moved, then went out of business. I heard bauhaus moved up the hill. Change. Change. Not just me, not just my locale, even the streets and institutions of my history evolve.

Or so I ruminate, listening coffee beans getting scooped. A sound hearkening to before my birth. Little pieces connecting all humanity over the ocean of time.

Charity Fundraising Opportunity : Star Wars Characters!

Carl Setzer
Just heard about this today. What a fun way to raise funds for Toys for Tots. I believe I ran into these guys at the Edmonds Fourth of July parade, and found them loaded with fun.
Charity Events – Star Wars Characters – Contact Information 

Just a quick note to Mary’s Toys For Tots crew, please contact me or visit our website to arrange a Star Wars Character appearance at your community or charity event!

We are an international volunteer organization, authorized by Lucasfilm, to perform public appearances as Star Wars characters to benefit charity.  You may have seen us in local parades, food drives, Toys For Tots donations, special needs fairs such as Autism or Downs Syndrome, or fundraisers for Seattle Children’s Hospital, among many other events.  The 501st Legion is a volunteer organization and, as such, does not accept fees for appearances; however, we gratefully encourage a donation to the charity of your choice in lieu of payment.

Sample photos here from last month’s Make-A-Wish Foundation event for little Zachary: Click Link

Matthew Brown
Events Coordinator for Garrison Titan
501st Legion
https://www.facebook.com/garrisontitan
http://www.garrisontitan.com
http://www.501st.com
“Bad Guys Doing Good!”

More of me whining about Seattle drivers

Carl Setzer

Testosterone was in the air. Tailgating rampant, some mad need to move north in I5 faster, just faster than me at least. I always view those who tailgate in the right lanes a particulars lowly psychopath. Plenty of them out this morning.

My favorite thus morning, though, was the gray Honda Pilot. These business casual attired chaps tailgated the car to my left, pulled in behind me, tailgates me for the 20 seconds it took me to pass the car to my right, as I move out if their way, I’m flipped off by the business dude in the passenger seat. Classy and professional! Someday, one of these jackasses will pull a stunt like this then show up in my office asking me to buy something. Oh, karma, I await thee!

Anyway, it’s been awhile since I ranted on area drivers. I feel better. Off I go!

Evergreen State Fair Time

Carl Setzer

Fall is in the air. Yep, it’s time for Monroe’s famous Evergreen State Fair. It starts up tomorrow, August 21st.

Tickets are available online. Today is the last day to get discounted tickets and gate admission, apparently.

And more information is available on their Facebook page.

Today: Everett Street Food Festival

Carl Setzer

I love food trucks and street food. So, this looks a heck-of-a-lot-of fun. If I can make it, I’ll be there.
_____________________________________________________

Experience Everett (EE)
2rd Annual Everett Street Food Festival
Sunday, August 17, 2014  – 10 AM – 4 PM
Downtown Everett (Colby Avenue & Hewitt Avenue)
  ( Map)
Free to get in, food cost varies for each truck.
https://www.facebook.com/ExperienceEverett?ref=stream 

Go to this if you’re into feasting on the best street food in the Puget Sound.  Here it is– the official lineup of # FoodTrucks coming to Everett this weekend.  We’ve pretty much covered every major food group except pizza, but really, you can get pizza anywhere!  Bring on the po’ boys, crazy hot dogs, mile-high sandwiches and the eclectic gut-bombs!

Thinking fitness

Carl Setzer

Fitness is a key part of my life. Now, I’m as vain as anyone, but that didn’t push me enough. About a year ago the long term issues of being chronically overweight became very clear. Getting winded by a single flight of stairs, seeing friends deal with the painful effects of diabetes, and the continued tightening of my clothes; all this frightened me. And the motivation birthed.

I’ve focused mostly on fitness apps and food trackers. Between eating less and significantly upping my exercise, I’ve been able to shave off nearly 30 pounds from my heaviest, and 20 in the few months since I became serious. This makes me proud, though I realize I’m only just getting started.

I have another 10-15 pounds more to lose to reach a healthy weight. Yet I’ve been stuck at my current weight for a few weeks. My workouts haven’t been as rigorous, but not a huge drop. The great weakness, though, is diet. I’ve lowered the quantities of food, but not changed the quality. Tracking my food shows a diet high in fats, salts and sugars, and low on nutrients. So, quality:  my next major focus. Time to be more thoughtful with my eating. Balancing out my diet should push me to the next stage.

Follow Up: Taste Of Edmonds

Carl Setzer

So, just two days ago I was complaining (whining?) about the Taste of Edmonds. And, then, today, well, there I was, walking the stalls. I did find a few food vendors with smaller servings so was able to try a few different items without feeling like a boa that ate a goat.

Ok, ok…it was fine. I actually enjoyed myself and spent several hours there. Of course, part of the fun was running into an old friend who plays in the Michelle Taylor Band. While my wife and son explored the stalls and got henna tattoos, I was able to watch Taylor and Co perform. For me, that was the best part. They have a driving, bluesy rock sound that charged up a wide variety of covers: Tracy Chapman, Adele to Pharrell Williams. It was pretty early in the day, and they still got people out dancing. Got a kick out of watching my chum Jim walk around with his keytar. So, I recommend catching one of their shows. Or, at least, check out their Soundcloud page. Here’s a video to whet your appetite.


Food was ok, vendors were nice. Didn’t like the massive crowd, dust and heat, but all in all, a decent afternoon. So, yes, I enjoyed my time. And feel it was worth the admission. (Our stop at Revelations Frozen Yogurt, though, was glorious). Fine. I still stand by my recommendations/complaints, though. I believe they’d make the event better and more productive to the community. And there you have it!

Thoughts on Taste of Edmonds and Bite of Seattle

Carl Setzer1 Comment

At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, I’m not a fan of these community events: the Taste of Edmonds, and it’s older cousin, the Bite of Seattle. Perhaps it’s a case of “back in the day” sentimentality, or just that grumpy “get off my lawn you damn kids”, but these events just grate on me. I’m charged an admission fee to wander through booths and buy one dinner (I suppose I could buy several dinners, but I’m really trying to make less of me in the world).

What I’ve seen the past few times I’ve gone are loads of booths, where you buy full meals. That’s not a “Taste”. The value of an event like these is to sample the wares of many (all?) the vendors. In the recesses of my memory, there’s notes about buying a punch-card that entitled you to one sample from each vendor. Perhaps another sign of aging, but if it’s not my memory, it should be.

To be more specific to the Edmonds event, I have another issue: most of the vendors I remember seeing don’t have restaurants in Edmonds. They seem to be, predominantly the same vendors who attend the Edmonds Arts Festival, amongst other area events. Blah!

Add into that the closing of my beloved Farmer’s Market for a day, the masses of traffic that descend into the Bowl, and that the Edmonds Boys and Girls club is displaced for several days, and my aggravation meter pegs high. Maybe that’s the larger issue. Maybe. Still, I’ll be sitting this one out, and back in the area after the madness has passed. But before the streets are swept, I expect.

Road Healing Coming to I-5

Carl Setzer

Generally, the first response when seeing news like this: groans. Ugh, more roadwork! More snarls; slow, slow, slow! I try to think of the long-term with this stuff. Sometimes it works. But knowing that not doing this, not taking care of the preventive stuff only makes things worse. And, maybe, this will result in something better. A better, more wonderful life for us all. Well, one can dream…

New pavement preservation project begins on I-5 next week
A new pavement preservation project begins on I-5 in Seattle and Shoreline next week.
Beginning Aug. 11 contractor crews will start replacing more than 300 old, cracking and failing concrete panels that make up the I-5 roadway. The work is located between SR 104 at the King-Snohomish County line and Northeast 117th Street near Northgate. Crews will start in the southbound lanes and then work northbound. After the concrete panel work is done at the end of October, the crews are scheduled to start grinding the highway. The grinding will start no earlier than Nov. 1. The project will also add a new overhead electronic sign near Northeast 155th Street which will display travel times and messages. Durable, high visibility striping will be added in spring 2015. Thank you in advance for your patience as we begin this work that is so important to keeping commuters and freight moving on I-5.

 

Cycling Backpack/Bag

Carl Setzer

I delight in seeing new bike gear. And I consider Timbuk2 gear “bike gear”. This one looks pretty groovy. (Note: I don’t think I rock the hipster style quite this well.)

Besides the way the back stores your commuting essentials…

…I love the idea of a “ventilated back panel”, especially if it prevents soggy back syndrome. That’s what I’ve always hated about backpacks (and beyond cycling). No air on my back, ooey-gooey-soggy back/shirt. Blech! Yet I like the feeling of carrying gear in a backpack; more comfortable.

So, I hope this works. Whether I’ll pony up the ~$80 for this remains to be seen. I have a rather large collection of bags, and bringing home a new addition has been determined legally justification for kicking me in the shins.