Are you looking to grab a quick lunch or dinner, but wanting something healthier than a fast-food burger or a slice of pizza? Sure, we’ve got a lot of restaurants in our neighborhood where you can easily get a salad to go, but why not go to the specialists? This past Sunday, Lula Salads opened at 4501 Interlake Ave.

This space, not far from the post office, is the former location of the Drum Exchange which closed about a year ago as we wrote here. (I dropped in to the Drum Exchange a couple of years ago and met a …

And after today … GONE.

Today is the last day this year for the Wallingford Farmers Market. The market sets up, as it has all summer, at Meridian Park at 50^th St. and Meridian Ave. Hours are 3pm to 7pm. So stop by and pick up your fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and any essential, hand-crafted, artisan whatchamacallits – or suffer the consequences. These may include shopping at QFC, PCC or even the Ballard Farmers Market (which is open year-round).

Some important notes about parking, should you drive to the market:

You are requested to park along…

It is a sad fact of life in this neighborhood that if you spend any time in parks or public spaces, you are likely to find used needles.

The Wallingford Community Council has set up a series of trainings to teach the community about how to clean up discarded needles, human waste, and other hazardous trash left in parks or other public spaces.

The trainings will be conducted by a member of Seattle Public Utilities, and will cover how to safely clean up sharps and other hazardous waste (safe for you and safe for garbage collectors).

Sharps (needles) Pick-up Training…

Historic Wallingford invites you to the Historic Homes Fair on Saturday, October 6 from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N.

The event will offer a selection of architects, contractors, designers, and suppliers who can advise visitors interested in the care of historic homes. It will also feature six lectures, including a virtual tour of the variety of outstanding homes in the neighborhood, a panel discussion on historic designations, and a screening of the film Bungalow Heaven, about a neighborhood in Pasadena, California plus hands on instruction to research the history of …

If you’re attending the Wurst Fest this Saturday, and you’re feeling the need to walk off some of those calories, Luminata, a fall tradition here, returns to Green Lake from 7-10pm. Starting at the Aqua Theater, Luminata is sponsored by the Fremont Arts Council, the same organization that brings us the Solstice Parade in the summer. The event is a lantern procession around Green Lake:

We begin our celebration with a ceremony at the Aqua Theater at the south shores of Green Lake. Everyone is invited to bring lanterns, glowing umbrellas, luminous costumes, or other beaming creations to parade around …

“Nickelsville came about in response to the sweeps of encampments ordered by former Mayor Greg Nickels [2002 – 2010]. After six months of  organizing Nickelsville set up on an unused piece of city owned land on West Marginal Way on September 22, 2008. That afternoon the encampment was posted with notifications that it would be swept.  Five days later several dozen homeless people and their allies were arrested.  Nickelsville immediately set up on an adjacent state owned parking lot. Governor Gregoire allowed Nickelsville to remain long enough to find a new location. ”
– Nickelsville History

It’s been ten years …

The Great Wallingford Wurst Festival – Friday, Sept. 21 4-10pm, Saturday, Sept. 22 10am – 10pm

This event likely needs little introduction, as the signs blanket the neighborhood. The Wurst Fest is celebrating its 35th year. The event is a fund raiser for St. Benedict Catholic School, a K-8 school located next door to St. Benedict Catholic Church. The event draws upwards of 10,000 people to the neighborhood as a fundraiser for a school with 215 students. Would that all fundraisers generate that kind of multiple.

The Great Wallingford Wurst Festival is an “Octoberfest” style end-of-summer celebration that takes place …