Phabulous Phinney Pig Out is next week September 23, 2009

I would try to run with the ‘p’ alliteration but that might get old pretty quickly.  October 1st (one week away!) marks the annual Phabulous Phinney Pig Out:  twenty Phinney/Greenwood restaurants, bars and coffeehouses are teaming up to help raise funds for the Phinney Neighborhood Association Soup Kitchens.

Dine at one of the restaurants listed below and a portion of their proceeds will be donated.  Eat early.  Eat late.  Whether you do breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert (or all of the above!), the more you pig out, the more good you do.  Just don’t watch “The Biggest Loser” when you get home…

Here are the phabulous establishments to choose from:

• 74th St. Ale House, 7401 Greenwood
• Barking Dog Alehouse, 705 NW 70th St.
• Bleacher’s Pub, 8118 Greenwood
• Carmelita, 7314 Greenwood
• Fresh Flours, 6015 Phinney
• Gaspare Ristorante, 6705 Greenwood
• Kouzina, 8403 Greenwood
• Mae’s Phinney Ridge Cafe, 6412 Phinney
• Oliver’s Twist, 6820 Greenwood
• Park Pub, 6114 Phinney
• Pete’s Egg Nest, 7717 Greenwood
• Picnic, 6801 Greenwood
• Pig ‘N’ Whistle, 8412 Greenwood
• Prost!, 7311 Greenwood
• Red Mill Burgers, 312 N 67th
• Santa Fe Cafe, 5910 Phinney
• Stumbling Goat Bistro, 6722 Greenwood
• The Dray, 708 NW 65th
• Wingdome, 7818 Greenwood
• Yanni’s Greek Restaurant, 7419 Greenwood

Garlic (Allium sativum) September 22, 2009

Alright! It’s time to start thinking about next year’s garden! One of the greatest parts of growing your own grub is that you can grow varieties of crops that you simply can’t find in most grocers. Garlic is so completely prized as a culinary mainstay that most of us have never bothered to ask about the kinds of Garlic we have to choose from. We are usually content to consider purchasing only one variety, Silverskin and it’s various strains. Like much of what we purchase in grocery store, Silverskins are prized for its long shelf life. And they need it, because they have traveled a long way to be here. Most garlic (77% or 23 billion pounds) is grown in China. Chinese ag standards are a lot lower than ours, which is reason enough for you to be growing your own. if that’s not good enough growing your own garlic gives you more diversity too. In May the scapes (stems) of the garlic are cut to prevent the flowering head to get too much of the energy from the plant. The energy is transferred to the bulb increasing the size of the head and thus the cloves. This also helps storability with varieties other than Silverskins. Filaree Farm in Okanogan County has dozens of garlic varieties to choose from and experimental packs to play with. The trial packs give you a few varieties to whet your palette towards becoming a true garlic connoisseur. There is not enough room here to go into the joys of garlic. Books have been written about the wonder and glory of this bulb. But if you want to plant it you need to order soon. Once it comes wait until the 3rd or 4th week in October to plant. Break a part the head of garlic being careful not to break the basal plate, (see insert top left) which is the hard part of the garlic clove that is at the bottom. That is where the new roots are coming from so it’s important that it’s intact. Prepare the bed with compost and loose soil for good drainage.  Plant the largest cloves with the basal plate down at a depth of 3” and a distance of 6” from each other. Cover with soil and then mulch well with straw or leaves before the frosts. In Seattle we don’t need to worry much about the ground freezing and expanding and thus pushing the garlic out of the ground but we do have to worry about nutrient depletion due to the rain. In June the garlic will be ready for harvest. If you want to let them go to seed they can offer a nice architectural piece to your edible garden in the frosts of next fall.

One small act of kindness goes viral September 22, 2009

Never underestimate the power of one small act of kindness—and social networking! You never know what will come of it. One particular act of kindness has resulted in the most remarkable viral event: the 93 Dollar Club, a fundraising drive that has become an national phenomenon. It all started when Carolee Hazard, a friend whom I met through an environmental leadership program, called Be the Change, was in the checkout line at her local Trader Joe’s and the woman in front of her discovered her wallet was missing. We all know how embarrassing that can feel—everyone’s waiting anxiously in line behind you while you tear your purse apart. Been there! Feeling her pain, Carolee came to the rescue and paid her $207 bill, not knowing if she’d ever get it back. Well, she did get it back, and then some—$300 (the extra, she was told, was for treating herself to a massage)! Carolee planned to just return the $93 when she decided to ask her Facebook friends what to do. Someone mentioned donating the money to Second Harvest Food Bank, another friend said he’d match it, and that’s when the 93 Dollar Club was born, with a mission of “Providing food to people in need in our communities.” On September 16, the fundraising club passed the $20,000 mark with donations coming in from all over the country—and even from around the world! You can become a fan of the 93 Dollar Club by logging onto Facebook. To donate any amount online, visit the Second Harvest website, select “Friends and Family Drive” and choose “Carolee Hazard $93 Drive.” Or you can donate to your local food bank. Afterwards, don’t forget to logon to Facebook and become a 93 Dollar Club fan!

Plan for Extending the Seattle Fall Vegetable Garden September 16, 2009

Ready. Set. Sow!

Leafy Greens, Broccoli, and radishes can all go in now

On average we’ve got 30 days until the first frost.Radishes, Chives, bunching onions starts, brocolli, heirloom leaf lettuces, mustards, spinach, and european greens like minutina can all provide a harvest before mid October. Even though this very well could be an “Indian Summer” with a little added protection and a raised bed you may even be able to extend your harvest into the winter months. Plants grow most efficiently at 55 degrees, but as long as moisture and frost is kept off sensitive leaves the plants will preserve and the harvest can continue through to nearly spring…sans an invasion of slugs. If you’re up for a work party and haven’t already put in raised beds here’s an project for you this week. To help the soil maintain heat faster during the day build your self a raised bed out of some reclaimed lumber (8′ x 4′ x 1′). At many garden stores you can find your next set of materials: hoop house plastic (painter’s plastic is a cheap alternative) and some bamboo poles about 6 feet in length. Even better if you can find these things around the house. The width of the plastic should be about the same as the length of the bamboo poles. Once you build up you raised bed and have filled it with the kindest soil you can find for growing vegetables (40% compost , 60% 3 way top soil from Sky Nursery) stick the bamboo in at the edge of the bed making half circles. Space your bamboo  supports every two feet or so. You may want to attach them to the boards of the raised bed so that they are secure. Plant your garden, water it in, set up your old soaker house between the rows and cover it with the plastic so that it is a little green house. Our greatest hindrance to growing in the northwest is not lack of heat as much as it is lack of sunlight. Plastic does not degrade over time, so the up side is that you can use it for a number of years as long as you take care of it in the off season.  It will also hold the heat and the moisture in better than the agricultural cloth. If you can find it I would also recommend transparent plastic sheeting between 4 and 6 mil thickness. With this set up you should be able to extend your season two to six weeks of growing and a few more months of harvest.

More energy efficient TVs…coming soon September 16, 2009

Here’s a follow up to my Feb 12 blog, How Much Energy Does Your TV Use? Large (40- to 50-plus-inch), power hungry TVs are motivating the Environmental Protection Agency to take action. Earlier this month, the EPA announced that, starting next May, it will require Energy Star TVs to be 40% more efficient than conventional models to qualify for the Energy Star Label. By 2012, they will have to be 50% more efficient. What’s all the fuss about? Power authorities, such as The California Energy Commission, are concerned about the rising power usage of large TVs, DVD players, DVRs, and cable boxes—often found in multiple rooms around the house (eg. one for mom and dad, one for each kid’s room, one for the family room)—that together account for at least 10% of a home’s electricity use. According to the EPA, “If all televisions sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, Americans would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions of about 3 million cars.” So if you’re planning to shop for a large-screen TV, why not wait to make that big purchase until the new rules go into effect in May. If you can’t wait, check out the Energy Star website where you can search by brand, display type (eg. LCD), and screen size for current models that qualify for the Energy Star label.

“Small is the New Big” September 16, 2009

That was definitely one of the underlying themes discussed among panelists at the Future Shack event on Sunday, a new residential architecture program developed by the American Institute of Architects Seattle. The event was upbeat and engaging, as moderator Steve Scher (longtime host of KUOW’s current events show “Weekday”) discussed the future of Washington’s residential architecture with panelists including author Knute Berger, activist Kent Kammerer and real estate maven Bob Melvey, among others.

So, here’s how the program works: earlier this summer, two juries (one professional and one public) reviewed dozens of residential housing projects and chose 11 that exemplified “progressive solutions for urban living.” Projects selected by both the professional and public juries include:

• 5th & Madison: A residential tower in downtown Seattle, which informally got the award for the highest density, with 576 units/acre (and is also a client of ours!). One panelist noted “If Seattle’s going to keep growing, we have to do a lot more 5th & Madison’s.”
  

  5th & Madison

• Sky Ranch: An 800 sf caretaker’s unit on top of a 62,000 sf warehouse roof at Stimson Marina.
• The Cobb Building: The renovation of an 11-story building built in 1910, preserving its historic nature and encouraging downtown living.

Of course, I also have to give a shout-out to our client Johnston Architects, as their project Boulders at Green Lake was selected by the public jury. It was described as “townhome style of cottage living.” Click here to see pictures.

City Councilmember Sally Clark joined the panelists which added an interesting perspective regarding city codes. Panelists also talked about the responsibility that architects have to preserve the character and culture of our communities. Also, with the change in family structures (33% of families are headed by single parents), panelists noted that housing choices need to catch up with this, as there aren’t as many options for those that do not fit the mold of the traditional family.

Future Shack was definitely an event worth attending and if you didn’t make it this year, be sure to check it out next year. To learn more, visit  www.aiaseattle.org/futureshack.

9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance September 10, 2009

On September 11, 2001, I had an early morning date with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity. A small group from work was scheduled to help build low-income homes in Redwood City, CA. So I was up at the crack of dawn listening to National Public Radio, as I got ready. That’s when I heard the alarming news. I turned on the TV just in time to see United Airlines Flight 175 crash into the south tower of the World Trade Center. Like everyone, I was in shock. Instead of listening to the announcers report the horror hour after hour, I drove to the building site and began hammering nails (the group did take a moment to discuss and reflect on what was happening). I recount this now because I want to share with you how my participation in this single day of community service—that coincided with one of the most terrifying days in U.S. History—turned out to be one of the most memorable and uplifting days of my life. I know this might seem odd to some. But by participating in this project, I was able to divert all of my anger and sadness towards something positive. Instead of being stuck in the office with dozens of other outraged employees, I was able to devote my energy to building homes for those in need. Now, eight years later, President Obama and the First Lady have announced, “This year, for the first time, the United States will honor September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.” When I learned about it, I thought how perfect! We’ll never forget the horrific event, but now we can turn it around and make it a day to do something positive in our communities. So if you’re looking to make a difference and counteract all of the negative news that will certainly resurface tomorrow, visit Serv.Gov to find a volunteer opportunity near you or to register your own volunteer project. You’ll also find dozens of service opportunities on VolunteerMatch. If you decide to participate, I know you’ll feel a sense of joy tomorrow, rather than just sorrow.

It’s time to plant! September 3, 2009

For all of you plant lovers out there, you’ve probably heard the maxim, Fall is for planting! If you’re not a gardener or are unfamiliar with how plants grow, it may seem downright backwards. Most people visit a nursery in spring, see a pretty shrub in bloom, and say, “Hey, I want that plant in my garden…now!” (I admit, it IS easy to be swayed by those gorgeous rhody blooms! ). But it turns out that spring is actually the wrong time to plant shrubs and other cold-hardy, permanent plants. Why? Let me give you a little botany lesson and suddenly it will all make sense. The above ground parts of plants (branches, leaves) actively grow from spring through fall (longer in very mild climates). The problem is, when you plant a perennial, shrub, or tree in spring, the roots don’t have time to grow and become well established before warm weather arrives. So a young plant has a difficult time supporting its flush of new growth and blooms. That means you have to water more often to keep the plant alive. If a heat spell comes, the plant may suffer. When you plant in fall, the aboveground part of the perennial, shrub, or tree goes dormant as temperatures decrease, but roots continue to grow and develop through winter. The plant is also able to take advantage of fall and winter rains to become established rather than depend on irrigation. When warm weather arrives, its root system is more extensive so the plant needs less supplemental water to survive. Plus, you’ll get a much more dramatic flush of blooms and foliage. It’s a win-win situation! To help home gardeners understand more about fall planting, the Saving Water Partnership, sponsored by Seattle and other local water utilities, offers great resources, including a free newsletter, called the Savvy Gardener, and a plant guide. This month, Molbak’s, Sky Nursery, and Swanson’s are offering free fall planting classes (you may also find some discounted plants out there!). To find class dates and times, visit their websites…and start digging!

It’s time for real food in our schools September 1, 2009

Speaking of school lunches, if you’re concerned about what your kid is eating at school, check out the Time for Lunch Campaign, a project of Slow Food USA. The Child Nutrition Act (which governs the National School Lunch Program) is up for reauthorization in September. So Slow Food USA wants us to tell our nation’s leaders that it’s time to provide healthy food to our children. The National Day of Action is September 7th, 2009. Sign up to get involved and attend an Eat-In!