The search box on our site really does work pretty well. Typing in alki sidewalk brings up our most recent report:
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=4670
and the previous one
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=4048
We were just out “cruising for news” before sundown and guess we missed the spot where work has begun; will check it out tomorrow.
Thanks for the responses and advice. I found out today that it was/is termites :(
The inspector found a few spots and we are on the road to repair. I am so bummed, because we had a thorough inspection prior to purchase, and nothing was even noted. The termite company that was out today seems to think this was a problem long before we closed. It just put me in a terrible mood. I guess we ( my hubby and I ) should be grateful we were smart enough to ( or able to! ) start a “House Crisis” savings account before buying. These little turds aren’t cheap to remedy. Honestly, we didn’t even realize how prevalent they are in Washington state. So, homeowners— add this to your list of things to sweat over! Thanks for all your good words and thoughts.
I’m looking for a recommendation for a WS massage therapist with experience with pregnancy massage. I’m experiencing a stiff upper back and neck pain, and have a month yet to go (and lots more work to do to get ready). I appreciate any recommendations that you have. I may call Head to Toe, but I really don’t need the whole spa experience, just someone I can see for brief sessions for a few weeks. Thanks!
Are you sure it’s termites and not carpenter ants? A good pest control company should be able to tell you. Either way, much sympathy. As an inexperienced home owner, you might consider joining Home Owners Club. They recommend contractors who’ve done good work for other members. And contractors are more likely to make good any problems so they don’t get taken off the recommended list.
Thanks for the referral to the previous discussion on this topic! I see the the Junction True Value does scissors, I love that place! Definitely going there!
The ID is packed with great Chinese restaurants. It all depends on what you like.
Here are a few of my favorites:
House of Hong, China Gate, O’Asian for dim sum–although most Chinese restaurants do a pretty good job with dim sum in the ID, avoid Ocean City.
For a great Chinese cheap lunch–Shanghai Garden, HoHo Seafood Restaurant, Hing Loon all come to mind.
As for WS–HoWin is about the quality of the Safeway steam table. Don’t worry about labels, just go to Lee’s and order the chinese dishes there on the menu. The chef used to be the lead chef at Wild Ginger for the first several years.
hehehe…House…I’m afraid our prison system couldn’t handle them all. And I totally agree with you. I, too, am both. As a pedestrian I walk with a cane, hopefully temporarily. I’m a little slower than the average person, so really have to be heads up about where and when I cross. As a driver I try to pay attention, but we have to remember that we have a big hunk of metal (erm…sometimes plastic…hehe) around us, and it’s not always able to stop on a dime. There are times when drivers are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.
This might have been talked about before, but I’m looking for a good plumber to help with a kitchen project. Any recommendations?
As a frequent pedestrian, I sometimes have a driver stop for me on Fauntleroy, and then get upset that I don’t go. The problem is, I appreciate that they stopped, but usually it’s the other side of the street, and the car on the side I will first cross is racing towards me and I am not sure they will stop, so I cannot safely cross. Meanwhile, the nice person who did stop is pissed off at me because I’m not crossing. I can’t assume that everyone will stop, so I need to be safe. I may have right of way, but that doesn’t mean I should just start walking in front of oncoming traffic!
Then one time they did all stop, I started crossing, and someone decided to drive *around* the stopped traffic (in the parking lane) to blow through the intersection and almost hit me in the crosswalk.
I, and a few neighbors, were in touch with people about putting in a crosswalk or traffic light or at the very least some pedestrian crossing signs, but they gave us the runaround for a very long time and then didn’t get back to us. Then I tried contacting the SW Precinct, telling them what’s been going on here with no one yielding to us, and they emailed back saying that pedestrian safety was very important, and they were going to come out and take a look and start ticketing people who don’t yield. That never happened. I’ve never seen a cop car yet during my morning commute, nor has the situation changed. I don’t know what else I can do to get the rules enforced, other than praying I don’t get hit someday.
Anyone have info on what they might be?
Like to keep up on things in the area.
Hi, nyx, thanks for constructive criticism. The monthly archives and categories actually do get clicked, believe it or not. The look/feel will change when the site design evolves before too long, hopefully with an additional sidebar so more of the site content is reachable from any page, not less. However, datapoint, it’s actually not something we built ourselves – it’s bbPress; a free hosted site is not feasible for us since, as a business, the pages, views, and ads need to stay on our domain. Re: the small symbols for replying – what browser and OS are you using? We’re on Firefox/Mac OSX at the moment and both the heading “reply” and the button “send post” beneath the reply box are pretty big. Let us know and we’ll check.
I don’t like the current forums at all, although I am glad you’re adding this feature. The layout and typography isn’t particularly nice compared to other forums, and the user interface is sort of clumsy. You should improve that tiny little >> you have to click on to reply, for example! That’s just making it unnecessarily hard for us. Also, remove the line at the bottom of every page “Put code in between backticks“. We aren’t posting formatted code here and “backtick” isn’t a word any real person uses anyway.
You don’t need to use the regular WSB sidebar on this part of the site, either, it’s just wasting space. Ditch the links to the monthly archives (no one’s clicking on those anyway, folks…) and category links. Those things point to content that’s separate from the forums, so it’s irrelevant here. Once that’s gone, use the full width of the content area for the forums.
Given the homespun feel of this thing, I suspect you don’t have the admin tools necessary to handle these forums if they see any real growth. I expect it will get out of hand quickly if there are lots of people posting often on lots of threads. I would encourage you not to try to build your own here, just go with a free hosted site like Proboards (http://www.proboards.com/index.html).
At either end of Delridge:
•Uptown Espresso at the north end of Delridge has a nice atmosphere, comfortable seating and impressive menu board chalk art. Good coffee too.
•Cafe Rozella at the south end of Delridge has an intimate atmosphere and interesting artwork. Good people watching out in front if the weather’s nice. Events like music nights. Community spot to find out what’s happening in South Delridge and White Center. And of course good coffee too.
We have always felt good about the service we have gotten at Dere Automotive on 35th and Barton. The shop manager is Lee, nice guy, always upbeat and friendly. Never had any problems with the work done there.
The 35th/Avalon SBUX is the worst! I have complained numerous times to the staff and to corporate, and nothing improves, they just sending me free drink coupons. The new SBUX at Jefferson Square is great though- quick, friendly barristas and a fully stocked pastry case. And if you go in the morning you don’t have to deal with the bad parking since no one is there.
My favorite though is the coffee at Thriftway. Great prices, friendly baristas and grocery shopping all in one stop. I order Americano’s, and I’m always impressed there is a beautiful, thick crema on top. As Wes suggested above, if you want to tell the good from the bad or mediocre, just order a shot and drink it straight.
Related to this topic is pedestrian right-of-way on sidewalks. Some people seem to think the sidewalks are their property. Maybe back before the area was platted and subdivided and annexed to the city it was. Now it is city property. Cars parked across the sidewalk can be ticketed. And property owners who fail to keep vegetation from growing over the sidewalk can be assessed a charge if the city has to cut it back. I suspect the people who block the sidewalk in front of their house are the same ones driving in front of pedestrians in the crosswalk.
I have to cross 35th each day at an intersection to catch the bus. This means I’m crossing an “unmarked crosswalk.” (FYI all intersections are unmarked crosswalks and drivers are supposed to yield to pedestrians.) I can’t remember the last time a car actually stopped for me, though. Last June or July, probably.
The City took away several crosswalks on 35th because they were unsafe. (??) Then said that in fact, all intersections are crosswalks so there should still be plenty of places to cross safely. Uh-huh, whatev.
I typically practice what I call “defensive crosswalking” when in a crosswalk. That means I wave to the oncoming driver, which tends to help get their attention, and even try to make eye contact, before venturing out.
I think some drivers don’t think they have to stop unless the ped is IN the crosswalk. That’s very untrue. If you are a ped and standing on the curb waiting to step out until it is safe, you absolutely have the right of way, and if the driver gets cited, the ticket is pretty steep.
I think Councilmember Richard Conlin is very tuned into pedestrian issues. If your email to the mayor was ignored (shocking!) I’d try Conlin’s office.
I’ve only been to Fastan in West Seattle, but I do recall seeing tanning beds at All Star Fitness. If you choose that option, I’d bring my own spray bottle since their lazy employees probably don’t clean the beds often. There’s a tanning place on California between the Alaska and Admiral Junction (north of Charleston, I think) that looks reputable, but I’ve never been. I went to a great place in Bellevue growing up that would keep my pre-purchased tans on record for years. In fact, I bet I still have some over there, which is pretty cool and what you would expect from all tanning salons.
Drivers don’t stop at ANY crosswalks in West Seattle, or downtown. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I catch the bus at the park and ride below the West Seattle bridge and I always have a difficult time getting drivers to stop. The crosswalk I use was faded away and I called the city and metro. Within DAYS the crosswalk was repainted. However, drivers still do not stop unless I step into the crosswalk and force them to. Sometimes they just swerve around me into the other lane. Last spring my husband bought two buckets, put gravel in them, and made bright orange flags for me to use in that crosswalk. They’re gone now! The flags were taken and somebody dumped out the gravel and took the buckets. I have e.mailed the mayor about how to make our crosswalks safer, but got no response, other than my name was added to his monthly newsletter. His campaign to improve crosswalk safety needs to start with the drivers, not the pedestrians. Pedestrians in a marked, and unmarked, crosswalk at an intersection have the legal right of way, not the driver. What we need is drivers blowing through occupied crosswalks to be ticketed!
I don’t have a very well-tuned coffee palate, but I’d like to add another recommendation for Bird On a Wire. I buy my beans there regularly since they are 2 blocks from my house and they always have fresh stock and are pretty reliable. However, they do take a little longer making drinks than some large chain stores, so just give yourself a few extra minutes.
Hello! We need a contractor for a small remodel job in our home, which includes removing a wall and sealing off a door. Anyone have any recommendations? I’d appreciate hearing from people who have personally hired the contractor you recommend, as opposed to contractors themselves or real estate agents racking up referrals. Thanks!!
Katherine, you can change the passwords. click on “member” below your name and it brings you to your profile. click on the “edit this information” link and you can change it there.
Hello West Seattle! I am a new home owner and am a little horrified about a new, likely termite discovery. :( I have scheduled an inspection, and have become increasingly nauseated at the prospect of infestation, damage, costs to exterminate or repair. . . Has anyone had any experience with this? Could really use some advice. ( or just a stiff drink!) thanks!!
who’s the best or preferably cheapest mechanic in west seattle that still does reliable auto repair (need to relace a heater core)?
For those of us that fully understand that UV rays are bad but like to soak up some fake sun before going on vacation pay special attention when signing up for those “specials” at Fastan.
Here’s what happened to me:
Between 8/14/2006 and 12/7/2006 I purchased Tanning sessions from Fastan on Fauntleroy. I went into the store today (12/27/2007)for a session and was told that my credits had expired. Like rubbing salt in an open wound I was then told that if I wanted to sign up for an additional package, I would be credited the expired tans. I remember thinking, “so let me get this straight, I didn’t use all the tans I previously purchased, but if I buy more tans that I probably won’t use, then you’ll do me a favor and give me back what I already paid for.”
I expressed my disappointment in their policy with hope of some good explanation by the sales representative but only got what appeared to be a well rehearsed response of “we tell all of our customers that they expire
While I was in the store, I noticed that none of the advertised specials that were prominently displayed mentioned that the credits would expire after any set period of time. When I inquired as to why there was no written disclaimer, the sales representative told me they verbally tell customers at point of sale and that it is stated in the contract that is signed. I asked to see an example of this contract where it was stated in writing that my tans would expire and wanted to see where I signed acknowledging this, and they could not produce one for me. If I wanted a copy I was then told that I would have to get it from their corporate office. What is most confusing is that some of my tanning credits are set to expire in 1 year while others last two years. At no point in time do I recall this being explained to me, as I would have been reluctant to purchase as many credits as I did. I’m not really into tanning but go before vacation so I don’t burn on the first day when exposed to sun.
In the end I asked for the regional manager and was only given a first name and a phone number which I later learned was their Burien location. When I asked for the managers last name, i was told that she didn’t know it. Seriously, who doesn’t know their boss\managers last name. Anyways, I’m done with Fastan, they may have gotten my unused tanning credits but lost a customer.
Anyone have a good recomendation on where I should go for fake sun?
