Tag Archives: Phinney Ridge

Seattle Beer Week: Your North Seattle Picks

Posted on April 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

Seattle Beer Week is soon to be upon us again.  The fifth year running, this year’s Beer Week falls on May 9th through the 19th and as usual, is sure to include something for everyone.  Although I do like to expand my horizons out of the neighborhood a little for this one, here are my North Seattle event picks!

  • On May 10th, head to Brouwers in Fremont for the Underberg Back in Black Stout Fest – 40+ stouts on tap.  Event runs all day
  • On May 11th, it’s time to head to Hale’s Ales for Brewgrass – a collaboration of beer & music with 10 local breweries and 3 bands, benefiting NW Harvest.  Starts at 5pm and you can buy your tickets here.
  • On May 12th, it’s Mother’s Day. So treat your mother to one of her favorite movies – Psycho.  DJ Nicfit plays this film at Naked City’s screening room to a live soundtrack, and I can say from experience it’s amazing.  Starts at 8pm in Greenwood.
  • May 13th, check out the Sierra Nevada dinner at the Burgundian in Tangletown.   5 beers paired with 5 dishes (exact beers & dishes tbd).  This starts at 6pm.
  • On May 14th, check out Beer & Burger Battle back at Brouwer’s in Fremont.  It runs all day long, and pits six brewers against each other to design the best burger.
  • On May 15th, don’t miss the annual Latona Pub Cask Fest in Green Lake.  A huge selection of cask beers, starting at 6pm.
  • On May 16th, try out pFriem Family Brewing at Art of the Table in Wallingford.  Everyone is buzzing about this brewery, and the restaurant is pairing up 7 courses to match.  The reception starts at 6:30, dinner served at 7.  Call the restaurant at (206) 282-0942 for a reservation.  Dinner is $95/person + tax/tip.
  • After taking a few nights off to repair your liver, celebrate the last day of Beer Week with The Dray in Phinney Ridge.  The Dray has a celebration of its own that day – their 5th Birthday!  There will be special brews from Firestone Walker, and tacos from The Yard.

Make sure you don’t miss one or two other events in the rest of the city either, as there’s plenty to do!  You can check out the full schedule here. 

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Food Truck Roundup to benefit U-District Food Bank – May 19th

Posted on April 16, 2013 | 1 Comment

You’ll want to mark your calendar for this one – May 19th, from 3-7 pm, the Phinney Neighborhood Center will become home to a wealth of local food trucks along with local beverage  providers and live music.

It’s all to benefit the University District Food Bank, which provides groceries to over 1100 families each week.    But unlike the U-District Food Bank fundraisers we usually see throughout the year, this one isn’t going directly to the food – it’s going towards the building.  Currently, the food bank operates out of an 800-sq ft facility.  This event, called “Fight Hunger, Build Hope” is the kick-off to raise $2.75M for a new, larger facility that can accommodate all the customers it serves.

The event itself will cost $25 for entry, and that gets you eight tastes from food trucks plus four drink sips from local distillers and brewers (this is a 21 & over event).   There will also be live entertainment throughout the afternoon.

You can purchase tickets here for either $25, or make a $125 donation to also receive a community cookbook with recipes from many of our favorite food trucks.

image002

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Community News, Local Eats & Drinks

Tagged , , , ,

Two north Seattle Winter Beer Festivals – get your tickets now

Posted on October 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

The holiday season quickly approaches, and while the kiddos dream of sugarplums (what the heck is a sugarplum, anyway?) I’m dreaming of something else – the winter beer releases from all our great local breweries.  Thankfully, there are some incredible local events that bring those brews to the masses, coming soon in north Seattle.  There’s two that I just don’t miss, and tickets are on sale now for both.

First up, the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s Winter Beer Taste.  When I tell people about this HUGE event, they look at me like I’m crazy.  Phinney Ridge is a pretty small neighborhood, but this Beer Taste packs a big punch.  In fact, it fills up three stories of the Phinney Center with over 25 craft breweries, each serving two or three different tastes each.  This year is extra special, as it’s the 25th year running.  The PNA also holds a terrific silent auction during the evening with some great prizes.

A crowd packs one of the rooms at the PNA Winter Beer Taste 2011

Details: PNA Winter Beer Taste falls this year on Saturday, November 10th from 7pm to 10pm.  Tickets are $25 for members, $35 for non-members, and $10 for designated drivers.  The Phinney Neighborhood Center is located at 6532 Phinney Avenue North. Tickets can be purchased here.

After a few weeks of recovery from that, the Washington Beer Commission presents Winter Beer Fest, held this year on December 7th from 5pm to 9pm, and December 8th from 12pm to 9pm.   Held each year at Hale’s Palladium, the Winter Beer Fest packs the room with almost every local brewery, along with food options from Hale’s Pub next door, chocolate from Theo Chocolate, and oysters from Taylor Shellfish.

“Big Daddy” Don Spencer and Kurt Larson from Silver City Brewery get in the holiday spirit pouring Winter Bock and Old Scrooge Ale at 2011′s Beer Tastes.

Details: Hale’s Palladium is located at 4301 Leary Way NW.  Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door, and designated driver admission is $5 (at the door only).  WABL members received an additional two tasting tokens with their entry.  Tickets for this one are available here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Community News, Local Business

Tagged , , ,

Be Phabulous at the Phinneywood Pig-Out

Posted on September 24, 2012 | 1 Comment

Ready to eat some more food for the greater good? (I know, crazy question).  Well, exercise that tummy in preparedness for the Phabulous PhinneyWood Pig Out, coming Thursday, October 11th to the neighborhood.  By eating at one of our fine Phinney-Greenwood establishments, each of the participating businesses will donate a portion of proceeds for the night to the PNA Hot Meal Program.

The Hot Meal Program serves between 250 and 300 meals to the homeless and elderly each week, by providing Monday night dinners in Ballard and Tuesday night dinners plus Wednesday lunches in Phinney Ridge.

Participating restaurants that will be dishing up for the Pig Out include Oliver’s Twist, The Stumbling Goat Bistro, El Chupacabra, Barking Dog Alehouse, Wingdome, Naked City Brewery & Taphouse and a whole host of others.  Metropolis, the card and stationery store at 7321 Greenwood Ave North, is providing balloons to each business to mark the occasion and alert passers-by to the event.  For the complete list of participating restaurants, click here.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Community News, Local Business

Tagged , , ,

Your North Seattle Cooking Class Schedule

Posted on August 21, 2012 | Leave a comment

Its been awhile since I’ve given you a roundup of cooking/baking happenings in north Seattle, so here goes.

If pie is your thing, Living Social has a great coupon for a 2-hour pie-making class at A La Mode in Phinney Ridge.  Classes are served up on a regular basis so you can choose which one to attend.  You also get tastings from A La Mode, espresso from Caffe Umbria, and ice cream from Bluebird Microcreamery as part of the deal.  Class price with coupon: $90.

Summer classes at the Green Lake PCC are all full, but registration just opened for fall classes – and they’re filling up fast too.  Some have even sold out already! A few you might enjoy – “Boot Camp, Italian-style” coming to Green Lake on Wednesday, December 5th, and “In Season: Harvest Bounty” coming Monday, October 8th.

Can’t wait that long?  Book Larder, at 4252 Fremont Ave N, has you covered.  Try one of their demonstration classes, held just about monthly.  August’s class is all sold out (there’s a wait list), but September’s class is still available.  The demonstration is with Greg Atkinson, executive chef of Bainbridge Island’s Restaurant Marche.  He’ll show you how to prepare a dinner of organic carrot flans, grilled wild salmon with green beans and tomato butter, and a dessert of cornets of summer berries.  The class is limited to 24 people, costs $40, and proceeds are donated to Washington Tilth Producers.  It will be held on September 10th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm – sign up online.

And remember, save me some leftovers.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Local Business

Tagged , , , , , ,

Woodland Park & Wine: A Fundraiser for the Zoo

Posted on July 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

Beer is usually my beverage-of-choice on a night out, but next Thursday, August 9th, wine is the preferred drink at Woodland Park Zoo in Phinney Ridge.  The second tasting flight of the summer, this wine tasting event doubles as a fundraiser for the zoo while providing a great atmosphere to enjoy a glass.

$25 In advance and $30 at the door gets you 10 tastings from more than 30 wineries, along with live music and “real close” animal encounters at the zoo’s North Meadows and particularly at the penguin exhibit.  There will be food available for purchase, as well as full bottles of wine to take home from the participating wineries.

IMPORTANT: This is a bring your own glass event.  As odd as that sounds, it’s part of Woodland Park Zoo’s commitment to sustainability and I highly support this!  So bring your favorite wine glass and enjoy the event!  You can purchase your advance tickets on their website here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Community News, Local Eats & Drinks

Tagged , , ,

Tickets on sale now for Phinney Summer Beer Taste

Posted on June 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

Tickets are now on sale for the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s 7th Annual Summer Beer Taste, held this year on July 21st from 4 to 7 p.m.  Beers will be provided from 21 local breweries, including north Seattle’s own Fremont Brewing Company, Hale’s Ales, Hilliard’s, Lantern, Naked City, and The Ram at Northgate.

Admission is $25 for PNA members, and $30 for the general public, which includes ten tastes plus brats from sponsor Barking Dog Alehouse.  Designated drivers can get in for $10.  As always, the event is held at the Phinney Center at 6532 Phinney Avenue North.

To get your tickets, just click the link here.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Community News, Local Business

Tagged ,

“The Big One” – Phinney Greenwood Art Walk Today and Tomorrow

Posted on May 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

It’s always a blast to attend the monthly Phinneywood Art Up Art Walk, but tonight and tomorrow it’s even more special – it’s the annual “Big One” – the biggest art walk of the year, with ideal weather to boot.

The Art Walk runs from 6pm to 9 pm this evening, May 11th, and then again tomorrow May 12th from 12pm to 5pm.  Stops for the walk run from 60th to 87th along Phinney and Greenwood Avenues.   For a full list of locations participating with either art, entertainment or food specials, see the website here.  

BUT, if you’re short on time and want to make the most of it, take North Seattle Sarah’s advice for the must-see stops along the way.  The best one being The Yard Cafe – where for the second year in a row, Firelight Forge will be set up in the yard creating metal art right in front of you.  Other recommendations are to stop into 826 Seattle (The Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company) to see collections by both adults and children, and then check out the food specials at Ridge Pizza.

Oh, and look out for me and North Seattle Lola as we wander the streets tomorrow!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Local Business

Tagged , , , , , ,

Review: Ridge Pizza – bringing the “neighborhood” back into “neighborhood pizza”

Posted on April 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

I don’t write reviews about local businesses too often, mostly because I would much rather have someone go out and experience a place for themselves rather than take my word on it.  I’m not an expert on food, or drinks, and I would rather write an informative blog that educates my readers enough to figure out just what they’re going to do for the weekend.

But I had to write about Ridge Pizza, after finally making it in there Friday evening.  From the start, Ridge Pizza has the one thing that I think everyone can agree we love: An adult/bar section and a separate family friendly section, so that those of us that don’t want to sit with kids don’t have to, and those of us that have kids still have a place they can go out without finding a babysitter.  This is what I think of as the “perfect balance” of any restaurant.

I chose to sit in the family part of the restaurant with a friend, and totally loved glancing around at the art on the walls, which was blown up old photographs of what the neighborhood used to look like back in the day.  Really interesting to see.  Don’t like the art?  That’s ok too – there’s multiple TV’s to watch with sporting events on.  Or, just pay attention to the people you came with!  There’s music, but it’s not so intrusive to make conversation difficult.

The menu was my favorite part – the pizzas are all named after local businesses and the toppings really suit the name – there’s the Prost!, which has bratwurst and sauerkraut, or the Yanni’s with olives, roasted garlic and Roma tomatoes.  The classic pepperoni is the True Value, named for the hardware store next door.

As if bringing the neighborhood together on a menu wasn’t enough, there are three pizzas – The Zoo, The Firefighter, and The Community Center – where $1 from the cost of the pie goes towards the respective organization (Woodland Park Zoo, The Firefighter’s Fund, and the Phinney Ridge Community Center).

The pizza was tasty – the beer selection decent, and there was even cider on tap.  Ridge Pizza is located at 7217 Greenwood Ave N in Phinney Ridge.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged ,

Seattle Beer Week Profile: Naked City, Mother’s Day, Vampires and Beer

Posted on April 27, 2012 | 1 Comment

Last year for Seattle Beer Week, I made a pledge to do something beer related every single day.  I failed miserably, missed two days of it due to hangovers, and almost got tattooed at the Pub at Piper’s Creek.

This year, I’m going to be a little more selective because well, I’m kind of fond of my liver.  I’m also going to feature different north Seattle locations on the blog here with their Seattle Beer Week activities to let you know all the local happenings.  Today: Naked City Brewery and Taphouse in Greenwood.  Here’s their full lineup of Seattle Beer Week activities:

  • May 11th – The Phinneywood Art Walk gets a beer twist, as Naked City displays art from brewery photographer Rawi Nanakul.  The black-and-white prints of the Naked City Brewery and homebrewers will be available for purchase, and the artist will be on hand to share the stories behind the photographs.
  • May 12th – Colorado Brewers Night.  It’s not quite Seattle beer, but let’s celebrate other great breweries around the country.  Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Boulder, Avery and Great Divide will be on tap, including a keg of Great Divide’s 17th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA.  Naked City’s new chef Tessa will also be dishing up Rocky Mountain Oysters.
  • May 13th – Mother’s Day Brewers Dinner.  Join head brewer Don Webb at a special brewers table for Mother’s Day, featuring 7 paired courses from Chef Tessa.  ATTENTION: There are 30 seats available, and tickets are ON SALE NOW.  Tickets are $60 and can be purchased in person at the pub, or by calling 206-838-6299.
  • May 13th – After the Brewers Dinner, stick around the screening room for the Classic Movie DJ Session.   Naked City’s own DJ Nicfit will be playing a live, synchronized soundtrack to accompany Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” (no cost for this one)
  • May 14th – From 6pm to 9pm enjoy West Sound and East of the Mountains Brewer’s Night.  18 taps – nine from West of the Puget Sound and nice from east of the Cascades, including 7 Seas, Port Townsend, Silver City, Peaks, Der Blokken, Sound, Iron Horse, Icicle, Northern Lights and more.
  • May 14th – Classic Movie Night #2.  Join DJ Nicfit once again for F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu,” a classic vampire film.
  • May 16th – Show Oregon some love at the Oregon Brewer’s Night, featuring Oakshire Brewing and a collaboration beer.  Representatives from Ninkasi, Deschutes, Full Sail and other breweries will also be on hand with their beers.
  • May 16th – Classic Movie Night #3.  DJ Nicfit takes a break, and DJ Jon Francois performs a live synchronized session to the classic silent film, “Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans.”

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Local Business, Local Eats & Drinks

Tagged , , , , ,