David writes:

For two years, our band hosted a monthly community square dance at the Gypsy Cafe. Now that it has become the newly updated Stone Way Cafe (3510 Stone Way Ave N), we are starting up the event again, last Saturday of the month (starting this Saturday, January 31) from 7 – 9:30 pm. It’s $5 / person (under 18 always free) and all ages are welcome. It’s a really fun time. It would be great to include more neighbors.

Henry Weinhard’s is owned by SBMiller (who also produce Miller Beer, along with a number of other brands). Red Hook is owned is by the Craft Brew Alliance, which in turn is 32% owned by Anheuser Busch. But the PNW brew pub tradition lives on, right?

Less so. On Friday, the Elysian Brewing Company, owner of four brew pubs, including the Elysian Tangletown, confirmed it was being acquired by Anheuser Busch. The announcement quotes CEO and co-founder Joe Bisacca, saying “after a lot of hard work, we’ve grown from one Seattle brewpub to four pub locations and a production brewery. With the support of Anheuser-Busch, we will build on past successes and share our beers with more beer lovers moving forward.”

The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. Terms have not been disclosed, nor have details of what the move will mean for the individual brewpubs.

However, the Capitol Hill Seattle blog notes that employees were surprised, and not in a good way, quoting several Twitter messages, including:

I feel sick to my stomach. I never saw this coming…I'm sorry guys.

— Derting (@ElysianDerting) January 23, 2015

Somewhat hilariously, CHS also grabbed this tweet from CraftBeerMonger, who found a bit of promotional material back from before the Elysian contemplated this particular move:

A little irony from @ElysianBrewing. Hey, THEY said it. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/HX9z9MEPuB

— Craft Beer Monger (@CraftBeerMonger) January 23, 2015

(Thanks for the tip, DOUG.)

David Perk writes:

(This is a sponsored post from Wallingford realtors Kris Murphy and Daniela Dombrowski)

Maybe you have noticed the new construction view home at 3508 Meridian Ave N on your strolls through the neighborhood. It is a 5 bedroom/3.5 bathroom home with over 4,200 sf of living space on a 7,200 sf lot (a football field by Wallingford standards)*. So you may wonder how can a large home like this be green, energy efficient and have a responsible carbon footprint.

What is an energy performance score?
The energy performance score (EPS) measures the estimated total energy usage (electricity, natural gas) of this home for one year. Like MPG for a car purchase, it gives the new owner a projection of how much it will cost to operate the home. This 4,200 sf home measured out at 16,000 kWh/yr, almost half of the average Seattle home at 28,000 kWh/yr, and 1,700 sf, or less than half the size. This is well below the 2020 City of Seattle target of 22,400kWh/yr. The previous, smaller, home that was on the property used more than twice the energy with 39,000 kWh/yr!

The carbon score measures the total carbon emissions based on the annual amounts, types and sources of fuels used in this home. This score came in at 5.3, which is significantly below the Seattle average of 8.8. At current utility pricing, the annual cost to operate the home is estimated to be just over $1,100 a year.

Conclusion: At 2.5 times the size, it takes 43% less energy to live in this home compared to an average Seattle house, with a 40% lower carbon footprint than the average Seattle home.

How is that possible?

The advanced construction methods and materials, as well as the HVAC system provides for this efficient performance. Below are a few highlights:

• Advanced air-sealing to prevent air leaks
• Knauff EcoBatt insulation made from 62% recycled glass
• Low-E windows to prevent overheating
• Duct-less heat pumps – 265% efficient
• Heat/Energy Recovery Ventilation – air exchange with minimized energy loss
• Energy Star rated appliances

Want to learn more and see these innovative systems in action?

Come by this Sunday, January 25^th, 2015 from 1-4pm. Meet the builder, Green Canopy Homes, and find out more about upcoming projects, including a net-zero project to be built in Wallingford later this year. Also learn about custom options the builder can offer. This will be the last opportunity for the public to see this home before the happy new owners take possession.

* According to MLS data this listing is the highest priced sale in the neighborhood on record.

Kris Murphy and Daniela Dombrowski are Wallyhood Sponsors and Real Estate Brokers who live and specialize in the Wallingford and Green Lake neighborhoods. They practice out of the Keller Williams Greater Seattle office located on the corner of Stone Way and N 45^th St.

Kris Murphy & Daniela Dombrowski
[email protected] / [email protected]
www.Key2SeattleRealEstate.com

Keller Williams Greater Seattle
1307 N 45^th St, Suite 300

Nikola’s, the second incarnation of the restaurant by the same name from Costas Antonopoulos (who also owns the property from the rug shop through Murphy’s, across to the north end of the block), has been getting mixed reviews. As one friend put it, it’s still very much a Greek diner in the style that made sense 20+ years ago. Now that the groggy Sunday brunch crowd waits in line to spend $20 on brioche french toast with artisanal acai-maple syrup, perhaps time has passed it by.

So it shouldn’t be too surprising that a sign popped up on the marquee this week announcing “Mejari Fusion Sushi Coming Soon”. So, does this spell the end of breakfast at Nikola’s?

Not quite: according to the waitress we spoke with, the restaurant will soon operate under new owners and the Mejari name, and while it will be serving “fusion sushi” for lunch and dinner, it will continue to serve the existing Nikola’s greek diner menu for breakfast, as well retain of the existing Nikola’s waitstaff.

I can’t say that I’ve ever heard of a restaurant operating with quite such a split personality before, and it feels like someone just doesn’t want to let go, but, on the other hand, there are some who swear by the breakfasts there, so who knows. And keeping around a breakfast menu that doesn’t involve the word “heirloom” does sound attractive.

(Thanks for the tip, Janey Elliot!)

St. Benedict’s School is holding a spaghetti dinner this Sunday, January 25, 2015 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. St. Ben’s 6th grade class will host this community gathering to raise funds for environmental education at Camp Hamilton.

This year, St. Benedict parent Brad Inserra from Fremont’s iconic Swingside Café will be leading the kitchen and cooking up his fabulous spaghetti alla marinara, with beef or vegetarian options. In addition to pasta, dinner includes salad, garlic bread, soda or milk, and ice cream. Gluten-free noodles, wine and beer are also available and sold separately.

Tickets may be purchased at the door. Prices for adults are $12, seniors and children ages 3 to 12 are $8.00, and children younger than 3 years old are free. Dinner will be served at the St. Benedict School Cafeteria at 4811 Wallingford Ave N.

Cometa Playschool (a Wallyhood sponsor, at 4106 Stone Way N) is having open houses Saturday, January 24th 10am to noon and Saturday January 31st, 10am to 12.

Cometa Playschool, a local Spanish immersion preschool invites the Wallingford community to their open houses on Saturday, January 24th and 31st, 10am to 12pm. This is a great opportunity for parents interested in giving their children the advantage of learning a second language in their early years: tour the facility, meet their teachers and learn more about their program and philosophy.

Founder and Lead Teacher Manuela Slye has created a space for children to play, learn and discover the world while learning Spanish in a fun, stimulating way. Cometa Playschool applies the principles of the Reggio Emilia schools by providing their students with opportunities to learn through the project approach.

The instructors at Cometa Playschool believe learning a second language brings great benefits to childrens’ lives, including being more empathetic and understanding of people from different cultural and social backgrounds. Their students have participated in food and supply drives for local non profit organizations such as Northwest Harvest, Wellspring Family Services and Sister Schools.

Cometa Playschool is currently enrolling for their summer session and the 2015-2016 school year.

For more information contact Manuela Slye at 206 353-6781 or drop her a line at [email protected]