Your Sunday Squirrel

Here's another shot from last week's visit.  This is Secretive Squirrel.  He doesn't want you to know what he's doing, even though he's totally eating a peanut.

Your Sunday Squirrel

 

Well, yesterday proved to be a fine day for squirrels at the still-unfinished Denny Park.  We had a steady cast of about four.  And they were very hungry.  And also friendly and quite civil with each other.  Speaking of that, I saw two Douglas squirrels at my parents' house this morning.  They are much smaller than these guys.  They're also a great deal crazier.  Seriously, they seemed really keyed up about something; they were constantly fighting, chirping and flicking their tails.  It's weird to see such a small creature act so aggressively.  But still, they're quite cute.  

More Like This, Please

This is on the side of the former Shilla Restaurant at 8th & Denny.  Yes, technically not in Belltown, but that's unimportant.  If there was just more stuff like this around, I'd feel a lot better about things in general.

So Long, Hurricane

 

We all knew it was going to happen.  I mean, the Hurricane has been closed for over two years.  It was only a matter of time, right?  Well, now it's gone.  I dunno, I guess the feeling is one of relief that I won't be confronted with another image of a Seattle that has fallen by the wayside.  Don't get me wrong; the Hurricane was far from my favorite place and also, I'm all for progress, but still, it's kind of an ignominious end for the place.  After all, it was once the much-beloved Dog House.  And now it's nothing.  I'm sure that whatever is going up in that spot will have no character at all.  That's the thing - I'm all for progress by progress has no personality or context.  It's just there.  In ten or twenty years, when a national or international financial crisis empties out all these new buildings, that's when we'll start to see character emerge.  But not before then.  So rest in peace, Hurricane. 

Your Sunday Squirrel

This is from last week - photographed through the chainlink fence around Denny Park.  Someday the park renovation will be finished.  And one day, people and squirrels will frolic together.

Bye-Bye, Bikes!

Last week, there were bikes here.  Now there are none.  All gone!  Well, it was a bad and expensive idea that just got worse and more expensive as it went along.  OK, so they were installed in the urban core where there were plenty of better options in a city with iffy weather.  I only saw tourists riding them and very few at that.  It was pointless.  And now it's gone after the city paid like $400,000 for it.  It could have worked in a place that has better planning, but Seattleites get stuff foisted on them because they have no vision of the future.  Anyhow, bikesharing was a novelty that spiraled out of control.  Yeesh, this ain't Copenhagen.  

Your Sunday Squirrel

This guy is from today.  As you can see, work at Denny Park will never end.  And the whole park looks terrible.  It's one thing to make improvements, and another for the place to look improved.  In other news, I've been spending a few days each week at my parents' house in Snohomish, and thanks to generous applications of birdseed, not only have the birds returned, but the squirrels have, too.  There are a few grays and one that is almost definitely a Douglas.  Due to the high predator population (namely hawks), they're super-skittish.  Just handing them peanuts is out of the question.  But hey, at least they're making an appearance.  Nothing brings out the wildlife like free food.

Your Sunday Squirrel

This fellow is from a few weeks ago.  Work on Denny Park will never end, it seems.  I was at my parents' place today and I saw either a Douglas squirrel or a young fox squirrel.  I can't tell which, but it was intriguing.  The guy above is an Eastern gray.  They're very nice, too.

So Long, Clever Bottle

I'm a fan of Marcus Johnson's establishments.  I think he's done great things with the places he has.  Now just when he's poised to become the downmarket Tom Douglas of 2nd Ave, one piece pops out of place.  I've been to the CB a number of times and it was always good.  And also affordable.  I'm sorry to see it go.

It Was One Year Ago...

...that Mama's closed.  Yes, there's another incarnation in its place, but it doesn't compare.  The old place was relaxed, cheap and welcoming.  The new place is the opposite of all that.  I paid a commemorative visit last Friday and found the food to be improved over the last time, but alas, the service was surly and indifferent.  And just to keep beating this dead horse - I had to pay the mandatory 20% gratuity for that.  I always feel ripped off.  Every time I go in there, it seems that the entire wait staff is new.  Again, the opposite was true with the old place.  The same people worked there for years.  If somebody quit, it was a big deal.  I had lunch at El Tapatio in Snohomish today, and this is what it looked like:

Yeah, inauthentic as all get-out, but delicious and satisfying.  Plus, check out that plate!  I miss Mama's.