Want to get the kiddies some entertainment that doesn't involve large blue jets? There's a new artist showing at Pine Street's Bluebottle Art Gallery:

Trish Grantham was born and raised in the Southwest. She moved to the Northwest in 1998 and started painting for the first time at 28. She has now shown all over the country, was exclusively represented by a New York Gallery, and Exhibited in Tokyo and Paris. Grantham has also been part of many National Campaigns including: Urban Outfitters, Target, Converse, Adidas, Brooks, Visa, and Starbucks. Trish Grantham continues to evolve and hone her painting skills, "Pale Blue Sky" Is yet another branch of her ever changing Creative World. Trish Grantham Lives and Paints in Portland Oregon with her chihuahua Pablo and her kitten Savannah Georgia.

After, swing by Snowmonkey's House of Monsters up the Hill on Pike.

And good luck passing through Bluebird without an ice cream cone.

Bluebottle is at 415 E. Pine. Snowmonkey's is at 1205 E. Pike.

The deadline for registering a Aug. 4th National Night Out party for your block has been extended to Monday. You can throw a block party without registering and without closing your street but it's more fun with firetrucks (from registering) and being able to play in the street (from getting street closure permission from the city).

If you'd rather join the people's block party, the Chill n Grill on the Hill is a large everyone-invited party planned for Tuesday night.

In this weather, picking fruit is a chore reserved only for the truly dedicated.

For the past five years, Seattle social services agency Solid Ground has been running the Community Fruit Tree Harvest, a program that gathers unused fruit from residential trees and donates the bounty to those in need. According to CFTH coordinator Sadie Beauregard, the program spawned from another Solid Ground Program, Lettuce Link, which performs a similar service with fresh greens. What started as a hyperlocal charity in Wallingford now has over 80 volunteer harvesters that reach all around Seattle, including Queen Anne, South East Seattle, Central District, and here in Capitol Hill.

Beauregard explained the process like a delivery service: Homeowners that signed up as donors give CFTH a call when their fruit tree is ripe and volunteers in the area pick the fruit, then donate it to food banks and other community organizations (see below). According to their website, CFTH harvested over 10,000 pounds of fruit in 2007, and Beauregard said Capitol Hill alone provided 400 pounds of fruit last year.

The season has just begun, and will span through October. Beauregard said they can always use more donors and volunteers to do anything from picking fruit, to "scouting" for more trees, or even just providing storage space for ladders, buckets or harvested fruit. 

Here's a list of Seattle organizations the volunteers often donate to:

1811 Eastlake (meal program for residents) - 1811 Eastlake Ave

CAMP Food Bank (food bank) - 722 18th Ave

Chicken Soup Brigade Lifelong AIDS Alliance - 1002 E Seneca St

Evans House (meal program for residents) - 415 10th Ave

Food Bank at St Mary's - 611 20th Ave S

Jefferson Terrace (low income apartments) - 800 Jefferson St

Kerner-Scott House (meal program for residents) - 510 Minor Ave N

Harvard Court (low income apartments) - 610 Harvard Ave E

Jewish Family Service (food bank) - 1601 16th Ave

Olive Ridge (low income apartments) - 1700 17th Ave

Seattle Indian Center (food bank and meal program) - International District

You can find more information about Solid Ground and the Community Fruit Tree Harvest from their website. 

UPDATE 10:16 AM:
Team USA wins! Here's the brief report:
Stonewall FC defeated Denmark 2-0 (1-0) and won gold medals in World OutGames soccer competition. Both goals scored by Jared Auckland.

Original Post:
Seattle's Stonewall FC is Team USA at the World Outgames soccer competition underway in Copenhagen this week. According to the team web site, Stonewall has advanced to the finals after downing Sweden 3-1.

The game against Sweden started at 4:00PM Copenhagen time. It reminded very much the group game against Denmark. Stonewall had at least three opportunities that should have been turned into goals... but it just wouldn't go in... Finally, who else... Jared passed to Jamie and Stonewall's best scorer added another goal to his collection. The result hasn't changed till the half-time. And again, just like in the game against Denmark, the beginning of the second half was in favor of the opponent. Except Sweden managed to capitalize on their advantage and scored a tying goal. The game became very nervous and very physical. Referees unfortunately allowed quite brutal game. Both teams had their chances to score another goal, but defensive formations on both teams were really tight. Finally with only three minutes to the end of the game Jamie Johnstone gave Stonewall another lead. Somehow he managed to win back a lost ball and get through three defenders to face only the goalkeeper and put the ball in the net. The entire team raised their arms in joy. In the last minute Jared received a pass from Brant Chase, pulled up a bit and fired up a shot that found its way to the goal right by the far post. 3-1 and Stonewall could celebrate the victory. Tomorrow, in the final game of the tournament Stonewall will face Denmark, who beat Italy II 1-0.

While we're touting the project of one of our Capitol Hill film-related partners, another needs your help. Just got this plea for donations from 12th Ave's Northwest Film Forum's director Lyall Bush:

I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am asking you for $10, the price of an average movie ticket. The Film Forum has had done many great things this year, but much like other organizations our income is off by 30%. And while we remain scrappy and imaginative in tough spots, this time is different.

 We are looking at real changes at the Film Forum unless you say yes and support us. We need to reach a goal of $70,000 by August 15. Please walk it in, mail it in, or click here to make your donation.

 You and 10,000 others are receiving this, which means you regularly find our emails and enews in our inbox, which means that you care, too. Maybe you even love what we do and believe the city is a better place - more sophisticated, inspired, or just more fun -- because of the films we show here, the summer filmmaking...

Taken last night but the image will surely help you cool down before you fall asleep tonight after surviving the hottest day in Seattle history. Sweet dreams.

On a hot summer night in Cal Anderson Park, Capitol Hill, Seattle. Photo by Michael Chuck.
Originally uploaded by sea_turtle to the CHS flick pool

The people behind last week's DJ set at the Cal Anderson fountain?

Tonight they're doing dodgeball.

http://cbabc.com/dodge/

Goats clearing steep hillsides of brush are one of those things that, although they might not be completely new to Seattle, never fail to draw a crowd.  The Madison Gate apartments have called the goat horde from Goat Trimmers in to clear the hillside behind the property and this time... baby goats too! 

Do you really need a reason to look a baby goat pictures?  Let's dispense with the charade.  More pictures at Aribrownest.com

Editor's note:
To complete the menagerie, here's some more Cap Hill wildlife shared in our CHS flickr pool:

Capitol Hill Raccoon babies
Originally uploaded by pretty-kitty

As part of my protest to only support meaningful environmentalism at the expense of feel-good environmentalism, I have found that you can grab an extra couple of bags from Trader Joes and "re-use" them at Madison Market. Madison Market has decent produce - TJ's does not.

Also: commenters advise you to keep your eyes out for the extra bags they provide for reuse at the front.

Also, has any post ever received a net "-1" score before?

Monday July 27th, 6 - 9 PM at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 19th & Madison. Meet all the candidates for Mayor, City Council and the local School Board seat. We'll deal with each race in turn. Schedule below.

Details at http://tinyurl.com/cap-cd-forum

Who asks the questions? Well, you provide the questions! The longer (1 minute answer per question per candidate) questions are the ones you submit when you arrive. [OK, to keep things on-time the moderator reads the questions]

The lightning round questions (all candidates write a word or two and hold it up) will be from the ones you submit online: http://tinyurl.com/lightning-round

• 6:00 Greetings: Pastor Williams. Introduction
• 6:10 School Board Position 5 - Cullen, Helmstetter, Bass, Smith-Blum
• 6:35 Council Position 2 - Conlin, Ginsberg
• 6:50 Council Position 6 - Kaplan, Licata, Israel 
• 7:10 Council Position 4 - Bagshaw, Tobin, Carver, Plants, Bloom 
• 7:35 Council Position 8 - O'Brien, Williams, Forch, Miller, Royer, Rosencrantz 
• 8:05...

Yes, those are crocheted/knitted cupcakes in the window:

Every time I go to Madison Market, I check out with a bad taste in my mouth. The checker is there, watching me to see if I take a bag so they can punish me with a surcharge. It's annoying. It doesn't make me bring my own bag - it just makes me annoyed with Madison Market and the holier-than-thou crowd. 

This is from a guy who drives a car that gets 35+ miles to the gallon. I bring bags to the store - when I haven't used them all for garbage bags. I am seriously concerned about global warming. But I am thoroughly annoyed by grocery bag fees.

I will be protesting the Block Party Crashers in spirit this weekend. This tax is a bad idea. It won't impact the amount of garbage Seattle hauls in any significant way (i.e. changing weight or volume by more than 1%), and it gives people who are on the fence about environmentalism a really bad feeling about it - by giving them an annoying reminder of the "nanny state" every time they check out. 

Ways we could *actually* make the city greener:

• tax gasoline<...

 2) Return to the church hall at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 6 PM on Monday July 27th for our Capitol Hill/ Central District Election Forum. Our school district's school board candidates, and ALL the candidates for City Council and Mayor will be there.

 All the details (and flyers to download & share) are at: http://tinyurl.com/cap-cd-forum

 The candidates will be answering the questions that YOU submit on postcards when you arrive (12 words or fewer, get thinking).

 There will also be a lightning round for each race, with the candidates all simultaneously writing 1 or 2 word answers to display to you.

 You may submit your lightning round questions at http://tinyurl.com/lightning-round

Explosion Originally uploaded by Single Malt

It's hot and sticky and things on the Hill are getting weird. CHS can't always explain the news but we can pass it on.

Here is what we know. A group calling itself 12 HR NOTICE has published this manifesto:

Cal Anderson Water Volcano "disgrace" is "set to blow up"

FAT IMP's first + last performance, ever! Also- a baker's dozen of FREE CUSTOM T-SHIRTS and FREE STICKERS!!

Per FAT IMP: "This abhorrent water structure is a disgraceful mockery against Seattle's way of life + must be wiped off the face of Capitol Hill. Citizens for the Lincoln Reservoir Restoration Front, UNITE!."

NEVER FORGET!!!

Tonight- Tuesday, July 21st, 9PM

Sources indicate there will be music, projections and tomfoolery.

Here are some photos from last night's get together with the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog Community at Vino Verite. I spotted yancy, Emily, uncle vinny, jseattle, k, and from Seattlest past/present MvB, Audrey and k_hack. A huge thanks to Vino Verite for hosting and arranging for Eric Claesson to play.

Produce Originally uploaded by aaronbrethorst

Here's what new additions the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance says you'll find at Sunday's Broadway farmers market:

Apricots – Perfection, Rival, Goldbar, Tomcots

Cherries – Bings, Rainiers, Sonata, Sander Rose, Index, Sour Pie Cherries

Nectarines – Arctic Star

Peaches – Early Red Havens, Sugartime, Snowkist

Berries:  Blueberries, Tayberries, Gooseberries, Mulberries, Raspberries

Pole Beans – Haricot Vert, Blue Lake

NEW Potatoes: - All Blue, Cal White, Red Norland, Yukon Golds, Desiree. 

Fresh Lavender - bouquets, plants, wreaths and honey.

The Broadway Farmers' Market is open Sundays through December 20, from 11am to 3pm, at 10th Ave E and E Thomas.

Meanwhile, over in Volunteer Park, today is your last day to catch Seattle Public Utilities' free performance about the city's water system, Waterlines. Seize the day.

Babeland, 8 Limbs Yoga Boutique, City Home Store, Emerson Salon, Lavender & Vine, Rosebud Restaurant & Bar, Stitches, Triple Crown, Feed Bag, Throwback Northwest, Retail Therapy, Veridis, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, and B-Bam are all joining together to benefit Northwest Harvest.  Stop by any of these retailers - they are offering special discounts July 17, 18 & 19.  You can receive additional discounts by bringing in non-perishable food items to any of these venues.

Some sample discounts:

• Emerson Salon (CHS sponsor) will be giving 10% discounts off cut and colors. All services get an additional 10% discount with donation of non-perishable food
• Babeland has a 20% store-wide sale and will provide an additional 5% discount if you bring in 5 cans
• B-bam (CHS sponsor) is only open Friday but is offering 20% off store-wide and will give you a free t-shirt if you bring in 5 additional cans

Here is the full list of East Pike Street Summer Sale participants and offers

More weekend fun on...

In late May, occasional CHS contributor and Capitol Hill shutterbug and tech guy Matt Westervelt made a strange discovery. Pictures of his face were postered all over Cal Anderson Park. Here's the BoingBoing account of the grassroots marketing.

It was the online service foursquare come to life. The point of foursquare is to 'check in' when you visit locations -- typically restaurants or bars. Checking in tells the world what you are up to, lets your friends know where to find you, and, most appealing to a geek like me, tallies a record of the places you like to spend your life on Capitol Hill. And the 'Mayor' thing? The person who has checked in at a location the most times in the last 60 days is dubbed the Mayor of ________ . That's how Matt got to be the Mayor of Cal Anderson Park. A title he has since lost, by the way, to Daniel Y.

Here's my mostly unimpressive foursquare report as an example. You can follow my account here. I need to remember to check in more. I could easily be the Mayor of Fuel Coffee, I'm sure.

More fun is taking a look around the neighborhood to see who the mayors are at your favorite Hill venues.

Here's Natalie E., the Mayor of Victrola...

and Jason W., the Mayor of the Honeyhole. Good call, Jason.

It's not all hipster hangouts. Important leadership positions like the Mayor of QFC Broadway are also featured.

As well as the Mayor of the Crescent.

There are still plenty of un-ruled venues for aspring mayors. I've targeted this prime piece of Capitol Hill real estate, myself. Wouldn't it be nice to be the Mayor of the 12th Ave Liquor Store?

Velocity Dance Center, a nonprofit focused on advancing contemporary dance, is hosting "Barn Raiser" Sunday at its news space in the Capitol Hill Arts Center. The event is a square dance benefit to help Velocity with the build out of its new space. You may recall that Velocity is one of the Oddfellows refugees, having been unable to come up with the rent increase imposed by Ted Schroth after he bought the building.

Three Dollar Bill Cinema picked a pretty good Friday for their first outdoor movie of the summer in Cal Anderson Park. Forecast calls for a gorgeous summer night -- temperatures in the low 70s. On the big screen, it will be in the 80s.

CHS is proud to one of the co-sponsors for TDBC's summer series I Want My 1980. Friday gets things started with a nighttime in the park screening of Little Darlings:

It’s a battle of the babes in the ultimate summer camp smackdown, when two girls from opposite sides of the tracks compete to be the first to lose their virginity. 80s teen idols Kristy McNichol and Tatum O’Neal star with forever hunky Matt Dillon (and Sex in the City’s Cynthia Nixon as a spunky teenager) in this frisky and fun romp through fast cars, food fights, and the end of innocence.

The Three Dollar flicks start after sundown -- around 9 PM these days -- and are shown in the southeast corner of Cal Anderson Park near the Shelter House. Admission is free but bring cash for snacks. Here's the rest of Three Dollar's I Want My 1980 series:

• Friday July 31: Flash Gordon
• Friday, August 21: 9 to 5

Notice a few more habits on the dance floor -- and on the beach -- this week? Seattle Gay Scene reports:

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence 2009 International Conclave is all this week as Nuns from around the world converge on Seattle at the "Retreat in the Emerald City"

The convention includes events from the top of Capitol Hill to the beaches of Madison Park.

Vote-bot Originally uploaded by mraaronmorris

In brief: Candidates for "our" School Board position and (almost) all the candidates for City Council and Mayor will attend.

Candidates will  give a brief introduction, be asked audience questions “drawn from the hat”, and in a final “lightning round” asked brief  question about our community (written 1 or 2 word answers) . You'll be able to grab candidates before/afterwards and ask them your burning question.

To submit Lightning Round questions, go to:    http://tinyurl.com/lightning-round

When: Monday July 27th, 6 - 9 PM

Location: Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1634 - 19th Avenue (on 19^th Ave. & Madison). Ample parking.  Buses: 11 and 12 go right past, buses 8, 10, 43, 48 within a few blocks. Enter from the Madison Street / 20th Ave parking lot: door in the corner.

There's more: candidates, Seattle Disposable Shopping Bag Referendum (pro/con), community groups will staff information tables.

See the attached flyers for details. Please print/distribute flyers to neighbors.

Volunteers to help run the event are needed: E-mail Andrew Taylor (tayles@jps.net) or turn up at Mt. Zion anytime after 5:15.

Schedule: 6:00 Start: 5 minutes Welcome (Pastor), 5 minutes intro etc.
1) 6:10 School Board position 5: Cullen, Helmstetter, Bass, Smith-Blum
2) 6:35 Council position 2: Conlin, (Ginsberg can't attend)
3) 6:50 Council position 6: Kaplan, Licata, Israel
4) 7:10 Council position 4: Bagshaw, Tobin, Carver, Plants, Bloom
5) 7:35: Council position 8: O'Brien, Williams, Forch, Miller, Royer, Rosencrantz
6) 8:05 Mayor: McGinn, Donaldson, Nickels, Mallahan, Garrett, Drago, Campbell, Sigler
7) 9:00. Thanks. Disband.

Questions: people are given color-coded postcards to write questions as they arrive: one card per race per person. Questions are 12 words or fewer. Questions go into separate boxes for each race. The moderator draws and reads each question: probably 3 questions per race.

Candidates will be seated and speak in the order that they will appear on the King County ballot (http://tinyurl.com/lmswx3).

Event is co-sponsored by many neighborhood groups (see flyer for details) and underwritten by CHS Capitol Hill Seattle....

Mayor Nichols & The Sisters
Originally uploaded by faust0matic

Don't make up your mind on these turkeys just yet. We're happy to be part of bringing you a unique opportunity to quiz Seattle's candidates about your Capitol Hill concerns.

The joint Capitol Hill-Central District Election Forum will be held Monday night, July 27 at the Mount Zion Baptist Church at the corner of Madison and 19th Ave E. On the docket are candidates for the school board, city council and the mayor's office. Format will be based on your submitted questions. Every attendee will be given a card for each of the three races. On that card, you are encouraged to write a brief, 12-word or less question (like Twitter!). The cards will be placed in a box and drawn by the moderator at random. Three questions will be asked for each race.

Sound fun? Mark your calendars for July 27.

Being the community minded type, I'm willing to give up my three cards to CHS. What should our three questions be? Here's one I'm thinking about asking the want-to-be mayors: How will you help Broadway survive 7 years of light rail construction? I also might like to ask how they plan to support neighborhood bloggers, an issue near and dear to my heart. But if you've got a zinger, please share.

Download PDF

A Good Read Originally uploaded by sea turtle

Some summer weekends, the Hill is a ghost town. Not surprised by it anymore but we do wonder where all the people go. Thanks to the goodness for the Internet, we can find out.

Poll:

City Stimulus's goal is to support local small businesses.  Local vendors have crafted special offers for City Stimulus members.  Membership to City Stimulus is free.  Seattleites can go to the City Stimulus website and sign up to receive your membership card via email.   For each $10 spent, members collect one stamp. 10 or more stamps from participating businesses gain the cardholder 10 extra raffle tickets and an opportunity to earn cool prizes at the City Stimulus Closing Party & Raffle.

Participating Captiol Hill merchants and offers (valid from 7/12/09 to 7/18/09) include the following.

• Anchovies & Olives – enjoy three (3) complimentary Oysters on the Half Shell with minimum food purchase of $25
• Babeland – 15% off Sunday-Thursday.  A free Silver Bullet with purchase Friday & Saturday.
• Blue Bottle Art Gallery & Store – 20% off any purchase
• Caffe Vita – 10% off all products
• Captain Blacks – Captain’s Tea (a sweet tea vodka lemonade) for $6 all day and night
• Dinette – Lounge Happy hour all...