Belles of the Sound

Sunday is going to be a busy day for group athletic adventures and fun. With the 17th riding of the Haul Ash Redhook Tour De Brew there’s no doubt the Burke Gilman Trail is going to a freeway of bikers and an occasional traffic jam of strollers, skateboards and joggers. Well, tack on to that the 30th annual Beat the Bridge 8K run taking place in the University/Montlake area and you have a recipe for biker runner soup.

The event consists of an 8k run and wheelchair race, 4-mile walk, 1-mile fun run, and diaper derby for toddlers.  The event is called Beat the Bridge because the University Bridge is raised during the race and the goal is to BEAT the raising of the bridge.  Have no fear, if you don’t beat the bridge, there is a band and prizes for those who get caught.  After a few minutes, the bridge goes back down, allowing everyone to finish.

Although online registration has closed, you can still register for Beat the Bridge in person on Saturday, May 19 from noon 5:00 p.m. or on Sunday, May 20 starting at 6:45 a.m. The registration area is in parking lot E18, located off Montlake Blvd just north of the Alaska Airlines Arena.Beat the Bridge to Beat Diabetes is a fundraiser for JDRF, the largest nongovernmental contributor of research to cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Hope to see you out at one of these events this weekend – or at least dodging riders on the Burke.

Cascadian Edible Landscapes will help you eat your yard. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Since we’ve been having such lovely weekend weather the past few weeks (and for the weekends coming up!!), I’ve been on a HUGE farmer’s market kick. I usually try to go during the winter, but it’s so much more pleasant when I can wander around and take in the entire experience.

Therefore, I’m giving a shoutout to my local farmer’s market, the Ballard Farmers’ Market! I love you and all your flowers, fresh veggies and excellent people-watching opportunities. Whenever I get there, I always make an initial pass around the market to see who’s there. I’m keeping an eye out for the veggies I need to pick up, and what types of flowers I want for the week. The selection can change almost weekly, so I love getting a feel for what’s in season. [Take for example, there are TONS of starter veggie plants out right now. I picked up a gorgeous lettuce start just last week, and it is so, so, so happy in my garden right now. If you've ever thought about starting your own edible garden, visit your nearest farmers' market now to get going.] (more…)

With Bike to Work Month well underway, Redhook Brewery is doing it’s part as host of the 17th annual Haul Ash Redhook Tour De Brew which commemorates the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Over the years, Haul Ash has become a great tradition for local cyclist and Redhook beer enthusiasts alike.

Registration is open now for the Sunday, May 20 ride.

So pull out the padded spandex shorts and your rain slicker (just in case) and register to ride roundtrip from Redhook Brewery in Woodinville to Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood – the birthplace of Redhook – along the scenic Burke-Gilman Trail. Once in Fremont head into downtown to quench your thirst with a cold pint at the midway point at LTD Bar and Grill, or hold onto your drink tickets for the Haul Ash After-Party. The party will be held in the grassy Bowl at the brewery, complete with a BBQ and Redhook beer garden.

The Deets:

DISTANCE 42 miles roundtrip, flat course
EST RIDE TIME 2.5-4.0 hours
PARKING Available at Redhook, neighboring ball fields, and the business parks on Hwy 202 north of Redhook. No parking at Columbia Winery.

On-Site Registration: You can pre-register with no processing fee in the Forecasters Pub. $30 through May 16. $40 on the event day.

Packet Pickup: Wednesday, May 16 from 4pm to 7pm

May 20, 2012

• Registration & Packet Pickup: 8:00 AM
• Riders Depart: 9:00 AM
• After Party: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM

This Sunday, May 6th, Fremont will be overrun by mobile food trucks and wandering buskers (street musicians). Great food, great beer, great music – I can’t wait to get a side ache from dancing on a full stomach!

The Mobile Food Rodeo is Seattle’s largest mobile food truck rally featuring over 35 food trucks and plenty of Pike Place’s best buskers. The festival offers the chance for attendees to sample food from some of the most creative and refreshing menus around, and celebrates the star chefs of the street food scene. Admission is free, a charity beer garden will quench your thirst, and a large  seating area awaits to sooth your tired feet. How can you possibly say no to all of that? Come on down and join the fun!

Photo via Mobile Food Rodeo

Hey everybody!  Happy Saturday!  I’ll make this really quick but I just wanted to pass on a little information and do a little personal plug.  My very talented cousin, Jessica Lechner, is going to be performing TONIGHT, April 28, at Shadowland in West Seattle.  The bar holds an open mike every Tuesday and then brings some of their best performers together for a full show on some Saturday nights.  This Saturday she will be playing with Patrick Smail (who I also saw perform this last Tuesday, well past my bedtime, and he was quite good).  There is no cost for the show and it starts at 10:00 so all you have to do is show up!

And…if all of that is not enticing enough, they have battered and fried pickles.  You know you want to try that. (For the records they are salty and delicious.)

“Can I wear pants to the wedding?” my mother asked via text. “Of course, but it depends. I’m going to need more info…” I responded.

Spring, summer and early fall weddings have the advantage of being less formal assuming they aren’t specified as black-tie and begin before 6. This was no exception – mid April, 2:30, Long Island, NY.

From left: cousin Sam in suit and tie; me in Zac Posen dress, Chanel pearls, Michael Kors watch and Christian Louboutin pumps

And in case you were wondering, the wedding was a success – the bride was gorgeous, glowing, elegant. The groom couldn’t stop grinning. The traditional catholic ceremony followed by an impressive spread at the country club and all important open bar (thank u Mr. and Mrs. Rice) provided guests w all the necessary amnesties to ensure a good time. Cheers!

Next week? Daytime sequins…

Stay tuned and stay stylish.

Thirty locations. One map. One Compass (yes the real kind). And 90 minutes to scramble.

The Columbia City Street Scramble begins at 10am on Saturday, April 28 at the Southside Commons, 3518 S Edmunds Street, Seattle, WA.

Score points by visiting up to 30 checkpoints in any order, and answer a simple question to prove you were there. Those who visit the most are the winners! Be competitive or casual. Go in a team or solo.

Fun for families, runners, cyclists, and anyone who likes to explore. Awards and refreshments at the finish.

This is your chance to be an “Amazing Race” super star in your own city.

Here’s the dish on the full Street Scramble experience.

Be sure to register in advance for you and your team.

The Space Needle all dressed up for its birthday!

If you have been in Seattle and anywhere near a radio, or a television, or a newspaper, or a little thing called the internet you probably already know that this year is the 50th anniversary of the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle which included the construction of our now iconic Space Needle.  It’s  hard to imagine, especially for any of us who were born well after 1962 the Seattle skyline without its extraterrestrial-looking anchor.   In commemoration of the construction of the Space Needle and all of Seattle Center there are a variety of events taking place from this past Saturday April 21 through October 21st.  Check out the Seattle Center website (http://www.seattlecenter.com/thenextfifty/home.aspx) for more info on upcoming events.

In addition to a number of ongoing exhibits and planned lectures, they have also given the top of the needle a little 60′s makeover.  They call the color Galaxy Gold even though we can all plainly see that it is a very loud shade of bright orange.  Apparently, the original paint job also consisted of legs of Astronaut White and a core of Orbital Olive.  (You see, it’s outer space themed.)    Thankfully they did not resurrect all of those colors.

In celebration of this momentous time in Seattle history I would like to present these “Fun Facts” about the Space Needle (which I learned here): (more…)

It’s baaaack!

The annual Passport to Woodinville returns this weekend, April 21st and 22nd from 11 am to 4 pm, to celebrate the  unique haven of wineries, large and small, and the singular passion for crafting world-class wine.  Tickets are $65 for a Sunday only pass and only $75 for a two-day Saturday and Sunday pass. Your ticket gets you free tastings at over 35 wineries as well as a wine glass which you will receive when you pick up your ticket.

Trust me, you will drink and eat well!

I’m sure you’ll find your favorite local winery on this list! Participating wineries to date include: Airfield Estates Winery, Anton Ville Winery, Apex at Alder Ridge, Brian Carter Cellars, Bunnell Family Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Convergence Zone Cellars, Covington Cellars, Davenport Cellars, Des Voigne Cellars, Domaine Ste. Michelle, Elevation Cellars, Finn Hill Winery, Goose Ridge Estate Winery, J. Bookwalter Tasting Studio, Kestrel Vintners, Matthews Estate, Michael Florentino Cellars, Northwest Totem Cellars, Otis Kenyon Wine Tasting Room, Page Cellars, Patit Creek Cellars, Patterson Cellars, Piccola Cellars, Pondera Winery, Silver Lake Winery, Tefft Cellars, Tempest Sol Winery, II Vintners, William Church Winery, Woodinville Wine Cellars, XSV Winery.

Enjoy and please be safe – designate your DD (DD’s can tag along for free and may also purchase a shuttle ticket).

The $10 Shuttle Express option you can “Hop on and Hop Off” at Shuttle Express stops all around Woodinville Wine Country during Passport weekend.  Be responsible!

Cheers!

I’ve been on a serious health kick lately. Maybe it’s the weather or just a desire to feel good, but I’ve been all about it. That said, one of my favorite things to do is offset a good night of drinking by working out beforehand! Before you stop reading, I’m not suggesting you go lift weights with the other buff dudes…

I’m suggesting you kick off your Cinco de Mayo festivities off right by running/walking in the Fiesta 5k Ole! Isn’t that fun to say? If you need a little more motivation, there is a beer garden, concert and taco truck challenge awaiting you at the end. The race takes place at Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park and begins at 9:30am. Registraton Proceeds benefit the Hope Heart Institute.

So get out, get healthy and have a margarita for me!!

Oh, and stay tuned for next week’s Brewery of the Month review of Hilliard’s in Ballard!