Wallingford resident and former business owner of Open Books (from 1987-2016), J.W. Marshall wrote to Wallyhood telling us that: "I happened to be walking by the Guild a little after 1 PM today and saw this happening and took these pictures with my phone. I intended to film it but failed. I don't know if this is just the end of that lovely, iconic sign or the end of the theater(s) altogether. I've owned a home and/or business in W'hood since…
The sadness our neighborhood feels today over the recent destruction of the iconic Guild sign conjures in me (by contrast), the celebration I felt when the abandoned theater was so cheerfully and cleverly painted last spring. Several months ago, I had the chance to talk with Paul Nunn, Project Lead at Urban ArtWorks and CreaturePanic, the artist who transformed the rundown site of the former Guild Theater into a PNW fantasy, using bright colors, provoking imagery and cheerful, squiggly Beso Bears.…
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more depressing than Betty White not making it to her 100th…then today (4 January) this happened to the Guild 45th Theatre: The end, or more accurately, the latest low point in a long and steady decline for the Guild 45th since it closed “for renovation” in 2017, came unexpectedly for most of us in the neighborhood. While it had sat dark, forlorn, and tagged for quite some time, there was no advance (public)…
Seattle Public Utilities announced last week that they would be canceling their Friday collection back on December 31 due to “remaining icy and unsafe conditions.” If you were scheduled for a Friday pick up, like me, or your pick up last week was missed for any other reason, what do you do now? SPU has this message: All collections are scheduled to resume next week starting Monday, Jan 3. All missed residential customers are permitted to set out double their normal…
Bookworms rejoice! A new independent bookstore, Wise Owl Books & Music (2223 N 56th St.), landed in the nook between Restaurant Christine (formerly Himalayan Sherpa House) and Leny’s Place in Tangletown. I’m a huge book nerd and was absolutely thrilled to discover a new bookstore in the neighborhood. There are some great bookstores in Fremont, Phinney Ridge, and the University District, but nothing for the booklover anywhere in between I-5 and 99. This is especially true after poetry-specific Open Books recently…
The simple truth is that when it comes to non-profit service organizations in Wallingford, it is the volunteers who make it happen. None of these organizations collect enough money to let them just hire staff to provide the services that are so badly needed in our community. Today’s post starts a series of interviews with volunteers who make up the strong right arm of Wallingford service organizations. Barb Burrill – Friends of Meridian Playground Barb is a “serial volunteer” – she…
Following on the heels of the completion, earlier this year, of the bike path along East Green Lake Way, the city is now making plans to finish this “outer loop” by adding a path along the west side of the lake. The vision is for separated lanes for walking and biking to be added to Aurora Avenue and West Green Lake Way. While funds have been allocated for the planning phase of this project, money for the actual construction has yet…