The WSDOT has some great resources for those heading up to the slopes. Check out the Mountain Pass website before you leave home. You’ll see current conditions and key details like whether you need chains or all-wheel drive. They also have a whole Winter Driving section, making your life easier and less dramatic. With that, I’d recommend you pack and keep a winter kit in your car. Well, at least until March.
Category: Seattle and Beyond
Meandering Alderwood Mall And Other Delights
I’ve spent the last several hours wandering Alderwood Mall. Today, I won the nail in my tire lottery, and the nearest tire shop I could find: Sears (an open one, at least). The past three times this happened were Sundays. I wonder about this, for no really good reason. Perhaps the universe rages against me. Or my memory’s subjective nature took hold. Whatever…
I remember when this thing was built (the Mall, not my van). During construction we drove over, monitoring progress. Decades passed by, changes take hold: stores move, or go extinct, the food-court relocation and redesign (well done, I might add. Well, if you enjoy light). This entity’s changed with the times. Lynnwood, and the north-end of Puget Sound has changed dramatically. I don’t see old Camaros any more. And the number of BMWs grows exponentially.
With that, I noticed many stores that I’ve known for years, awareness-wise, but really know nothing about. Claim Jumper, Urban Outfitters, just to name a few. And there are a few I know well, but have lost focus on. Eddie Bauer comes to mind. After the sale to Spiegel, I stopped paying attention as quality plummeted, and, well, any sense of it as a Seattle company vanished. Lastly, I look at the Anthony’s restaurants here and think of the local chain, and how little I know about it.
Well, with so much to learn, there will be no shortage of opportunity to write in the near-term at least. If there’s anything you’d like me to add, send me a note or add a comment.
Thanks so very much for reading!
Getting Back to Coffee Fundamentals: Fundamental Coffee
Founded by two old friends from my Starbucks days, Scott McMartin and Tim Kern (Tim sadly died last year), Fundamental Coffee represents so very much to me. I relied on their coffee knowledge at the ‘Bux. Today, I trust Scott’s expertise even further. Clearly, he’s learned so very much on this journey running his own coffee company. Give them a taste!
Here in Lynnwood, you can get their coffee at Alderwood Mall’s Seattle Coffee Gear.
Website:Â http://www.funcoffeeco.com/
Find them on Facebook, too.
Lynnwood Library Gallery Featuring Watercolor and Acrylic Artist Michael Leong
Lynnwood Library Gallery Featuring Watercolor and Acrylic Artist Michael Leong
On Display through January 28th
The Lynnwood Arts Commission presents watercolor and acrylic artist, Michael Leong, on display at the Lynnwood Library Gallery through January 28th. Born in Shanghai, China, Leong learned how to paint at age six. He continued painting lessons in middle school and participated in the Shanghai Student Painting Exhibition. Since his retirement from Boeing, Michael has spent the majority of his time finding inspiration in his daily life for his paintings. In addition, he enjoys painting with his peers at the Lynnwood Senior Center in his free time.
Contributed Photo: Two Blooming White Peonies, Michael Leong
Free to the public, the Lynnwood Library Gallery showcases local and regional artists on both the amateur and professional level. The Library is open Monday – Thursday from9am – 9pm, Friday – Sunday from 10am – 6pm and is closed on national holidays. The Gallery is exhibited in the multi-purpose room; call ahead for viewing availability.
Lynnwood Library
19200 44th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036
(425) 778-2148
Additional Thoughts On The KPLU Sale
Heard this morning about KPLU having an FAQ about the sale on their site. I’ve already written on this, but I felt that a desire to comment after reviewing this newest bit of info.
I give them credit for including links to ways to challenge with the FCC the sale, how to cancel your support (if you’re sufficiently outraged), and where you can provide feedback to KUOW directly.
However, I’m still bothered by the lack of discussion about local news coverage. They hinted at it when they noted “KPLU already collaborates with KUOW on regional news coverage through the Northwest News Network…” and noting there’s a finite audience. However, KUOW’s regional coverage eroded to near nothing, hence why I shifted all my listening over to KPLU.
Perhaps this really speaks to a larger issue: how do we maintain high levels of regional coverage? Is the audience really limited? Or is the vision of KUOW limited? Perhaps this is a reflection of radical shifts in media landscape, where securing adequate funding is tough. But the loss of a newsroom deeply concerns me, regardless of the rationale or causality. I expect, though, the solution shall be unclear.
City of Lynnwood’s Upcoming Holiday Events
The good folks at the City of Lynnwood have pulled together several holiday events to help launch the season.
Upcoming Holiday Events
Lynnwood Christmas Tree Lighting
Saturday, December 5, 5-6:30pm
Holiday Open House at Heritage Park
Sunday, December 6, 1-4pm
Public Menorah Lighting – Celebrate the Festival of Lights
Sunday, December 6, 4:15pm
These events are supported by the City of Lynnwood to achieve our vision to “build and enhance a strong, diverse, integrated community.”
Stevens Pass Timelapse Video And A Slight Ski Season Update
My buddy Toby just posted this video shot up on the Stevens Pass ski area. Though not yet open, the region’s ski season has started:Â Mount Baker and Crystal are open!
So, my skier buds, make sure you bookmark these sites:
There is a second video below this one. Stevens Pass’ own snow report. Gives you a solid idea of where we are snow-wise (~18 inches at the summit). Anyway, here’s to this next ski season making up for our dismal one last year.
Some reflections on the windstorm
It’s been an interesting week. During Tuesday’s storm I was sitting in a class up above downtown Everett. Quite the bluster! Even in the 6th floor of a modern high-rise, we could hear the wind. Fortunately, my friends and family came through reasonably unscathed, with the greatest problems being power losses and fence destruction. Many in the region had far worse results (the Seattle PI has a great run-down of the aftermath).
With the storm, traffic was significantly eventful and my poor instructor quite late. I took the opportunity to chat with many of the good folks at Everett’s First American Title office. Such great people! A few folks I’ve known for years, but have never met. Such is the nature of modern business!
Our class covered the Escrow Process, where we focused on several key changes and issues facing this sector. One of the biggest: cyber-fraud.
I’ve been hearing an amazing number of cases of spoofed, or near-spoofed email addresses where funds are redirected. With this, we covered ways in which our business is responding to better protect your information.
Also, we looked at the way the CFPB’s new disclosure rules are getting implemented. The mortgage industry has taken this very, very seriously and implemented (for the most part) solid processes to keep closing timelines solid. Each lender has their own process, which is complicating things. And we’re having issues with certain folks not respecting the amount of time it takes the other players to act (“yeah, it closes tomorrow, here’s our stuff at 6pm. Too bad you don’t have time to get all your work accomplished. It’s your fault, of course”).
Anyway, always trying to learn more. Real Estate is vibrant and ever changing business. It is one of the things that delights me about it. This also speaks to the value of real estate agents. We stay up-to-date on all the changes occurring. Even if you bought a house last year, the market has changed. There are new processes, forms and documentation. Let us help you navigate this morphing realm.
A random thought about garages in Lynnwood
While walking my neighborhood a few evenings ago I looked closer at these houses in Lynnwood. Built in the 50s and 60s garages, they all have itty bitty garages. Today’s cars don’t fit. And I remember those 50s, 60s, 70s vintage cars. They were a tad bit bigger than cars today. Clearly, garages were for storage, not auto storage.
Anyway, I’ve been around these houses most of my life. I’m rather fond of them, quirks and all. Actually, the quirks add delight, to me, at least. And, with all that, two and two were never (proverbially) added together. The interesting observations that happen when I slow down.
KPLU, KUOW, Evolutions and Deaths
I care deeply about journalism. Having quality, full time staff to dive deeply into issues is critical for our culture, for our democracy. Additionally critical: willingness to dive deeply into serious issues that need coverage, regardless of ratings. It’s critical from the national level all the way down to the local/hyperlocal. And, I’d argue, it’s most critical at the local.
So, KUOW is buying KPLU. The region’s two biggest public radio stations are at stake. This whole acquisition disturbs me. I noticed KUOW’s declining coverage of local events years ago and gave up on the station. KPLU has been a mainstay for my radio listening for years, long before and above and beyond their jazz programming. KUOW’s abandonment of local programming and unwillingness to listen to the community on major concerns regarding programming and personnel give me deep concerns about the plans for KPLU, which has taken up the slack as KUOW fell. I stopped listening as KUOW became irrelevant. And KPLU got my ears and dollars.
Reading The Stranger’s interview with Caryn Mathes only deepened my concern. She didn’t give any details or rationale about this merger. We know it’s not about the financial state of KPLU or Pacific Lutheran University, for what that’s worth. Perhaps she summed it up well when she said “If we’re relevant, if we’re resonating with people’s lives, people will give us money.” I haven’t given them money for years. Not out of protest (though their firing of Cliff Mass and their “spit-in-my-face” response to the community push-back might be good enough), but, like Cliff posted on his blog last year, they’ve stopped serving the community ages ago.
So, clearly, I don’t think this is a good idea for anyone, except perhaps the managers at KUOW and, I guess, the regents at PLU (with their tasty bit of cash) . The community is left with the promise of “not screwing this up” by the leader of the organization that has done exactly that, and much stonewalling. It’s a sad time for journalism lovers and those who see deep value in public radio, especially here in Seattle.
More reading:
- The Official Press Release
- Cliff Mass’ “KUOW: A Major Public Radio Station Stumbles” blog post from June 2014
- The Stranger’s Interview with Caryn Mathes, President and GM at KUOW
- KUOW Plans to Purchase KPLU and Make It an All Jazz Station. What Happens to Their Reporters?
- KUOW to buy KPLU in proposed acquisition, Seattle Times
- KUOW Is Buying KPLU, Turning 88.5 Into a Jazz Station, Seattle Weekly
- KUOW’s Q & A on this