seadevi

As we reported here on CHS, Makini Howell of Hillside Quickie Vegan Cafe and her partners will be taking over Cafe Stellina's old space.  Plum Vegan Bistro is to open on Saturday (I have an email asking about hours of operation).  One major difference between Hillside Quickie and this new place will be that Plum will have a full bar. 

Velocity Dance Center, a nonprofit focused on advancing contemporary dance, is hosting "Barn Raiser" Sunday at its news space in the Capitol Hill Arts Center. The event is a square dance benefit to help Velocity with the build out of its new space. You may recall that Velocity is one of the Oddfellows refugees, having been unable to come up with the rent increase imposed by Ted Schroth after he bought the building.

• Spinasse and Anchovies & Olives now both have outdoor seating
• Food & Wine picks Molly Moon's as one of nation's best ice cream shops
• Tidbit Bistro gets rave reviews from gluten-free examiner and Cook Local documents recreating Tidbit's Caprese Calda at home
• Marination Mobile continues to win fans though their Capitol Hill location is only certain through July
• Victrola rescues and adopts coffee tree
• Drinking cheap at Quinn's - a how to from cap to the hill
• The Stranger heaps love on The Tin Table
• Reminder that the City Stimulus promos run through this week. Here's the Cap Hill list.
• North Broadway's Pho Lotus is having its Grand Opening. Some reviews are not kind. Add your own CHS review.
• Remember the ricin threats against Capitol Hill gay bars? Seattle Gay News updates the investigation.
• Cakespy explains the science of Old School Frozen Custard's deliciousosity.

Below is a clip of Chef Jerry Traunfeld of Poppy doing a cooking demo at the Broadway Farmers Market today. Even though he is wearing a microphone, you will have to turn up the volume. The weather was overcast and a light mist of rain fell for periods of time, but over thirty people showed up to see Traunfeld.

City Stimulus's goal is to support local small businesses.  Local vendors have crafted special offers for City Stimulus members.  Membership to City Stimulus is free.  Seattleites can go to the City Stimulus website and sign up to receive your membership card via email.   For each $10 spent, members collect one stamp. 10 or more stamps from participating businesses gain the cardholder 10 extra raffle tickets and an opportunity to earn cool prizes at the City Stimulus Closing Party & Raffle.

Participating Captiol Hill merchants and offers (valid from 7/12/09 to 7/18/09) include the following.

• Anchovies & Olives – enjoy three (3) complimentary Oysters on the Half Shell with minimum food purchase of $25
• Babeland – 15% off Sunday-Thursday.  A free Silver Bullet with purchase Friday & Saturday.
• Blue Bottle Art Gallery & Store – 20% off any purchase
• Caffe Vita – 10% off all products
• Captain Blacks – Captain’s Tea (a sweet tea vodka lemonade) for $6 all day and night
• Dinette – Lounge Happy hour all evening (4-10pm) on July 14th, 15th and 16th
• Edie’s – buy one, get on 1/2 off on shoes, of equal or lesser value. Does not apply to sale merchandise
• Goods – 20% off (excluding TZ QS Nike Product) + Brown Goods Stadium Striped New Era with purchases over $50
• Havana – Free Cover with City Stimulus card
• Lark – free appetizer, up to $12 value, with the purchase of $25 or more
• Licorous – $1 off cocktails (excludes Happy Hour specials)
• Oddfellows Cafe + Bar – 10% food
• Retail Therapy – buy 3 items get 4th free + get Crave book with $ 100 purchase
• Smith – $6 cocktail special

• The Saint – Happy Hour all night long
• The War Room – $3 well drinks / $6 mojitos from 5-9pm on our rooftop deck
• Veridis Clothier – 10% off regular priced & all sale merchandise

• Via Tribunali – 10% off all food
• Volunteer Park Cafe – Complimentary Dessert with purchase of a large plate or daily special (valid at dinner only)
• ‘Zaw – mini-cheesecake with every pizza purchase

Robin Pecknold performs solo for the last "A Drink for the Kids" show put on by the Vera Project, an all-ages Seattle music/art venue at Neumos. $15 advance tickets available at TicketsWest, Moe Bar, Rudy's Barbershops and select QFCs. Dow Constantine reappears on the Hill - party with him at Moe Bar from 6 to 8 pm.  Photo by paigeparsons via Flickr CCL

Sunday at Volunteer Park - photo by Wesa

In 2001, GreenStage, Theater Schmeater and Wooden O Theater created the Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival.

Due to the success of the festival, in addition to the Main Stage (Volunteer Park Ampitheater), there is a new Second Stage, located directly behind the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

Saturday, July 11

• 12:00pm - THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR - Last Leaf Productions
• 2:00pm - RICHARD III- Seattle Shakespeare Company's Wooden O
• 2:30pm - THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - Balagan Theatre
• 5:00pm - THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE - Theater Schmeater
• 7:00pm - THE COMEDY OF ERRORS - GreenStage

Sunday, July 12

• 11:00am - TWELFTH NIGHT - Young Shakespeare Workshop
• 2:00pm - KING JOHN - GreenStage
• 2:00pm - WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF - Open Circle Theater
• 5:00pm -THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE - Theater Schmeater
• 7:00pm - THE TAMING OF THE SHREW - Seattle Shakespeare Company's Wooden O

For more Cap Hill weekend fun, check out the CHS events calendar:

Saturday July 11 2009
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	Seattle Architecture Tours: Pike/Pine From the SAF listing: "Where bass players once roamed, condos now rule. Experience the revolution as we take a trip through this eclectic neighborhood'... (more)
11:00 AM - 01:00 PM	World Naked Bike Ride Seattle Bare what you dare! http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/countries/us/seattle/ When: Sat. 7/11; 11AM to meet and body paint; 1PM to ride Where: Louisa... (more)
12:00 PM - 06:00 PM	Steampunk swapmeet On Saturday July 11th at the All Pilgrim’s Church (lower level) we will be holding a Steampunk swapmeet/jumble/garage sale/ flea market thingy. It is... (more)
04:00 PM - 07:00 PM	Revelry and Wine After years of working in the wine industry, Jared Burns invented the synthetic wine cork; then he figured he probably should open his own winery. The... (more)

We interviewed Josh Reynolds, the entrepreneur behind Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream and Team Parlor opening today at 5 pm.  Josh has taken over the space at 1205 East Pike Street (formerly home to the Church of the Undignified).  The space is much larger than Molly Moon's and Old School Frozen Custard, and one can envision that once the free wi-fi is installed (happening this Friday we're told), visitors can lounge and enjoy the ice cream, sandwiches and tea at their leisure.  The renovation of the space has been done mostly with reclaimed materials (the counter for instance was once a high school gym floor). There is also a small stage where musicians and authors can perform.

Bluebird currently has eight icecream flavors and intends to keep this number pretty consistent - though flavors will rotate based on season.  They have collaborated with neighbors in the Elysian Stout (delicious - especially paired with a scoop of the peanut butter) and the Stumptown Coffee flavors.  The ice cream has between 12 and 15% butterfat - lending it a creamy richness.  Also, the ice cream is made on premises (I could smell the Elysian Stout being made).  Top Chef Contestant Robin Leventhal visited Bluebird a few days ago and pronounced the peanut butter and snickerdoodle scoops "DELICIOUS!".  Bluebird is taking part in Blitz Arts Walk today and will open at 5.  Bring cash as they will only be able to accept cards beginning Saturday.  They are showing the work of Allison Choppick and Jennifer Culp.  Email Josh to be sent an invite to enjoy some free Elysian "The Wise ESB" this evening.  After today, Bluebird's hours will run from mid-morning (around 10:30 am) to midnight.

Bluebird will have "lots of vegetarian and vegan options".  Josh pointed out that besides the sorbet, they will have "veggie sandwiches, vegan soups, vegan baked goods, and soon we'll have Mighty-O!"

Ex-Crave Chef Robin Leventhal

New York Magazine's Grub Street blog released the list of Top Chef Contestants and Capitol Hill's beloved ex-Crave Chef Robin Leventhal is on the list.  In February, CHS learned that Leventhal had auditioned for the Bravo reality show.  You can now follow Robin on Twitter. 

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Another Seattle chef who made the Top Chef cut is Branzino's Ashley Merriman.  I have only been to Belltown's Branzino once but had an exceptional meal.  Good luck to both contestants -  can't wait for Season 6.  

The second of the relaunched Blitz Capitol Hill Arts Walks is this Thursday July 9 at 6pm (semi-official starting point is the SCCC Plaza).The walk will also mark the debut of another new business in Pike/Pine when Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream and Tea Room opens its doors for the first time Thursday night.

Here is a preview of some of the artists:

Matthew Porter at Bluebottle Art Gallery

Daniel Dean Johnston at Red Chair Salon

Jennifer Culp at Bluebird Homemade Ice Cream and Tea Room.

For a list of all participating businesses, go to the Blitz Capitol Hill Website or download the July map.