Belltown Challenge: Glassblowing Studios vs. Indian Restaurants

After a long hiatus, the Belltown Challenge is back! To be honest, I kind of forgot about it for a few months. But no more! The rules are simple: whichever business that has the greater numbers wins. Wins what? Nothing, except the honor of knowing that they won. Hey, everybody's scrapping to win kudos from an unemployed blogger! Anyhow, today's contest is between glassblowing studios and Indian restaurants. Think that this is going to be a blow-out? You might be surprised!

Let's start with glass blowing studios:

Known simply as Seattle Glassblowing Studio, these guys are situated at 5th & Bell. The studio has been around since 1991, but I'm pretty sure it's been in Belltown for less than that. Every time I walk by (which is fairly often), they always have something interesting out on their sidewalk. Around Christmas, they had all these massive tree ornaments and at Halloween, they had full-sized glass pumpkins. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a "Glassblowing District?" Well, unfortunately the economy can only sustain one studio in this neighborhood. The next closest one you'll find is in Pioneer Square. I used to work above it. They did mad business with the tourists. Those are the only studios I know of. I'm sure there are others, but they definitely aren't in Belltown or Pioneer Square. So the grand total for this crummy neighborhood is one. Let's count the Indian restaurants now.

You would think that the popularity of Indian food meeting the abundance of restaurants in Belltown would spell an overwhelming victory for Indian eateries, but you'd be wrong. Observe:

Behold, the Tandoori Hut, located on 2nd, between Vine & Cedar. As you can see, it's a lot bigger than a hut. I used to get takeout from here all the time, but recent economic circumstances don't allow for that. It's a shame, because they're quite yummy. And takeout is the way to go, because despite their best efforts the place has, like, zero ambiance. But if you drop by for their lunch buffet, you have no choice in the matter.

And that, folks, is the only place in Belltown for Indian food. Yes, there's Pabla at 2nd & Pine, but that's downtown. It is also quite tasty, but it doesn't count. I keep thinking that there has to be another Indian restaurant in Belltown, but I've wracked my brains and I can't think of any others. If I'm wrong, let me know.

So let's review the final score:

Glassblowing Studios 1
Indian Restaurants 1

It's a tie! Nobody wins, but nobody loses! Congratulations to both competitors!

Belltown Challenge: Authentic Pizzerias vs. Non-Authentic Pizzerias

It's been quite a while since the last Belltown Challenge, hasn't it? Yeah, that's because it's been pretty hot for the last few months and the Challenge usually involves a lot of walking around taking pictures, and with my low tolerance for heat, I would usually come home a sweaty mess. So I simply procrastinated until fall. That's my story. I hope you understand.

OK, so today we're trying to see who has the numerical advantage, authentic or non-authentic pizzerias. Now, by non-authentic, I don't mean Domino's or Pizza Hut or anything awful like that. It's just American-style pizza as opposed to "talk-a with-a de hands and sing-a de songs of old-a Napoli" authentic-style pizza. Let's start with the non-authentic:

This is Zeek's on Belltown's northern border of 5th & Denny. They serve some very American pizza.


Bambino's at 4th & Cedar is right around the corner from Zeek's. Although their fare is more rustic and less thematic, the style is more east coast American than Italian. Plus, their pizzas come in more than one size. That's a dead giveaway for non-authentic.


Vela at 1st & Clay (although there is another entrance on 1st; that photo didn't turn out so good) is a newish pizzeria. They're actually a pizzeria and something of a nightclub, if you can imagine that. I can and I'll pass. I don't need to walk 8 blocks for drunk people to bump into me. I can just stand in front of the Rivoli and the same thing will happen.


Broad Street Pizza & Pasta at Western & Broad is even newer than Vela. It used top be known as Cucina De Ra, which became rather infamous for not paying its employees or vendors. What's a poor deadbeat owner to do? Change the name! Bingo, you're back in business!


Although they're not Italian-authentic, I'm pretty sure that Belltown Pizza at 1st & Wall has the best pizza in this crummy neighborhood. I highly recommend the Fire in Belltown. Added bonus: the wait staff is generally babe-tacular.

Let's turn to the authentic joints:

This is Serious Pie at 4th & Virginia. It's another Tom Douglas operation and a very good one at that. Although some of the toppings are non-traditional (potatoes, clams), this is pretty much the real deal: football-shaped pizzas that come in just one size.


Here's Via Tribunali here at 2nd & Blanchard. It's probably the most authentic place. I mean, their oven runs on wood. The pizza is good, and if you get there at the right time, it can be very cheap - as long as you don't mind a limited selection. And while we're talking about them, I have to say that I really like their decor. The high-backed, horseshoe-shaped booths are excellent for both large and small gatherings. If you're alone, sit in one, sip a Peroni and be the master of your domain.


OK, this place gets special, but only partial dispensation. It's La Vita E Bella at 2nd & Battery. It bills itself as an authentic Italian restaurant which is true enough. They do have some very good real-Italian stuff there. But they also serve some delicious genuine pizza. In fact, they were the first place in Belltown to deal the authentic stuff. But because they don't bill themselves exclusively as a pizzeria, they lose half a point. My blog, my rules.

So let's total up. Our final score is:

Non-authentic: 5
Authentic: 2.5

It wasn't even close. Non-authentic places kicked ass! But I'll tell you that LVEB was the only place you could get an authentic pizza until a few years ago. Now there are two more in the neighborhood. I look for the authentic trend to continue. So you best prepare yourself.

Belltown Challenge: TV Stations vs. Jewish Newspapers

Welcome once again to this installment of Belltown Challenge! This time around we look at TV stations and Jewish newspapers. Believe it or not, Belltown contains both. Instead of leaving you in suspense, let's get right to it. First, TV stations.

KIRO is Seattle's CBS affiliate - supplier of my weekly dose of CSI: Miami. It stands at 3rd & Broad:

KIRO has been at this location for decades. Up until about ten years ago, it was owned by kindly Mormons, but now it belongs to Cox Enterprises, a smallish congolomerate. No telling whether they're evil. As long as they keep sending David Caruso my way, I will suspend judgment. Another thing about KIRO is that they have very nice grounds. The best time to see them is in the spring when everything is in bloom, but they're passable now:


So there you have it, one television station. Yes, KOMO is down the street at 4th & Denny, but it's on the non-Belltown side of the street, so it doesn't count.

OK, now to Jewish newspapers. Our attention turns to 3rd & Lenora:


These are the offices of the Jewish Transcript newspaper and the Seattle Jewish Federation. You'll recall that three years ago, a crazy guy from Eastern Washington named Naveed Haq went on the rampage here after forcing his way into the building. He was pissed off about Israel's invasion/pulverization of Lebanon. So what better way to show his dissatisfaction than to start shooting people? He killed one, wounded five and gave up once his anger subsided somewhat. Following the incident, the Jewish Federation renovated their offices, reinforcing everything in case another pissed off crazy guy should get big ideas. If zombies ever attack, I'm taking refuge at the Jewish Federation. Nothing's gonna get in there.

Well, it just so happens that the Challenge results in a tie! Well, sometimes life is like that, folks! No winners, but no losers. Everyone is equal and equally miserable. Wait a second, that's communism! My apologies! Next time I promise there'll be a winner. It's more American that way. Till the next Belltown Challenge!

Belltown Challenge: Starbucks vs. Mexican Restaurants

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Belltown Challenge, the pointless contest of quantity over quality! This time around I've trudged through the neighborhood in search of Starbucks and Mexican restaurants. The rules are simple: those things that achieve numerical superiority win. What do they win? Nothing! Let's get started.

First we have Belltown's Starbuckses:

This one is at 1st & Battery in the wonderful Austin A. Bell Building.

Next, it's a particularly unphotogenic one at 2nd & Lenora.

Moving along, there's an operation in the lobby of the lovely Darth Vader Building. Here's yet another funky way of looking at the Darth:

Last and least, there's the fringe-dwelling Starbucks at 6th & Stewart that got attacked by "anarchists" during the WTO "riots." Observe:

OK, that's four. What? You thought there were more? Nope, that's all we've got. The one in the Market doesn't count, because it's in the Market, not in Belltown. Heck, the one at 6th & Stewart barely counts, but we'll include it to keep things interesting.

And now for the Mexican restaurants:

Here's Tia Lou's on 1st, between Blanchard & Bell. It's been around for at least a dozen years and I haven't ever been there.

Taco Del Mar at 1st & Blanchard. Even though TDM is not a true sit-down Mexican restaurant, I've decided to include it, because they can make some pretty excellent burritos when they feel so inclined.

Here's another TDM at 5th & Cedar. I've never been to this one. Why should I? The one at 1st & Blanchard is right out the back door.

Even though Dos Amigos shares a counter with Belltown Burger, it still counts. Oh, it's at 5th & Bell.

Last and certainly not least is the gem of Belltown, Mama's, at 2nd & Bell. For 35 years, they've dished out the neighborhood's best Mexican food by far. I only go a few times a year, because I always want it to be special. And it always is. If Mama's ever closes, I'm leaving Belltown.

OK, I'm just waiting for the computer to tabulate the results and...by the score of 5 to 4, Mexican restaurants take the day! Congratulations to Belltown's Mexican restaurants! Better luck next time, Starbuckses.

Belltown Challenge: Jazz Clubs vs. Movie Theaters

We're back again with the Belltown Challenge, folks. Each time, we talk about what and where, but refrain from asking ourselves why, because introspection is not our strong suit! For this edition, we're trying to find out whether Belltown has more movie theaters than jazz clubs - and by that, I mean places that show movies all the time and feature jazz exclusively. I mean the King Cat Theater shows movies sometimes but also books death metal acts and whatnot, so they don't qualify. And likewise, the Whisky (that's how they spell it) Bar at 2nd & Virginia has a jazz guy play there once a week, but that make it a jazz club. OK, so now that we're clear, let's get started!

Jazz clubs:

Ah, Tula's, integral component of the 2nd & Blanchard vortex! I played my very first gig here. And although I haven't been there for ages, I'm still very fond of the old dump. You've got to admire their obstinacy, because jazz in this town is damn nearly dead. I know; I used to play five gigs a week all over Seattle and some of them were at Tula's. But those days are gone. I wish it wasn't so, but it is.

Tula's features mostly local musicians (except during the Earshot Festival in October), whereas Jazz Alley, at 6th & Lenora, is mainly nationally prominent guys. And yes, their cover charges are stiff, their drinks are weak and they still discourage talking. If you've ever been there, you'll recall the admonition: "Please keep your table conversation to a minimum" that precedes every set. Sheesh! I think that they charge enough cover so that even the dumbest patron will realize that he's there to listen to jazz and not talk loudly on his cell phone while his companions sing German drinking songs. But no, they have to tell us to shut up because we can't figure it out for ourselves! Like I said before: Sheesh! Anyhow, I've seen tons of excellent performers here. The last time I went they had Benny Golson. That guy was another kind of fantastic! Recently, though, I haven't had any reason to spend $30 on cover to see anyone.

That's it for the jazz clubs. Here are the movie theaters:

First up, we have the Big Picture at 1st & Wall. Back in the nineties, somebody came up with the brilliant idea of opening a theater and serving drinks. Its first incarnation was called the Casbah Theater. I loved that place. They showed old movies and fun was had by all. But unfortunately, the cost of building the place wiped out the original owners and it closed. Under new ownership, though, it reopened within about six months as the Big Picture. I was just there a few weeks ago with a special lady-friend. It was a stellar evening. One thing in the minus column for this place is that it doesn't have air conditioning. That's all very well for the winter time, but in summer, it's almost unbearable, what with the two restaurants (Pampas Room & El Gaucho) cooking away on the two floors above. Any other time, the place is super-nice; it's small (the staff call it "intimate") and they bring your drinks to your seat.

OK, so the Big Picture is cozy, but the Cinerama is massive!

Here's some of it and here's more of it:

I haven't been to every theater in this great nation, but I'll just come out and say this: The Cinerama is this country's finest movie theater. That had to be said. What makes it even sweeter is that at 4th & Lenora, it's just a shade under three blocks away. Isn't that just the coolest? I saw Star Trek there on opening night two weeks ago. It was amazing! This year they're going to be showing SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) films there once again. They seem to do it every few years and this is one of them. Anyway, Gold bless the Cinerama, America's greatest movie theater!

Wow, I really got carried away, didn't I? So where are we? Oh yeah, jazz clubs vs. movie theaters. Two of each. The verdict: it's a tie!

Belltown Challenge: Banks vs. Subways!

Hello and welcome to the very first edition of Belltown Challenge! Have you ever been walking around wonder whether Belltown has more karate studios than Jewish newspapers? Or whether there are more sushi restaurants than barber shops? Or more bars than cafes? Well, so do I! The other day, I was wandering around trying to figure out whether there were more banks than Subways (the restaurant, not the form of transport; Seattle will never, ever have a subway) and I really had no idea.

Franchised restaurants have made it a point to stay out of Belltown. OK, so maybe there is a McDonald's at 6th & Virginia, but it's on the non-Belltown part of the street. Besides that, the only other franchise is Subway. Banks are also extremely scarce, especially considering that this neighborhood is Seattle's most densely populated. It's not that they get robbed or anything, it's just that you're more likely to have crazy people wandering in, because, let's face it, crazy people represent a sizable percentage of Belltown's foot traffic. Consequently, banks don't bother to set up shop here.

I was curious to see how the numbers added up, so I went out and took some pictures. Here are the Subways:

1. 3rd & Lenora

2. 2nd & Wall

3. Western & Broad

4. 1st & Denny

That's four Subways. Which one is best? Who cares! They're all the same! OK, now the banks:

1. U.S. Bank at 3rd & Battery (This is one of my favorite buildings in Belltown; I plan to write more about it in the future. I mean, it's a bank with an escalator!)

2. Alaska USA Credit Union at 4th & Battery

3. Wells Fargo at 4th & Denny

4. Banner Bank at 2nd & Broad

5. Washington Mutual at 1st & Cedar (soon to be ChaseGoldmanMerrillSachsLynchCiti Brothers of America; now that's a name I can trust!)

6. Shorebank Pacific; they just opened up at 3rd & Cedar

7. Sound Community Bank at 5th & Virginia

So there you go! Banks defeat Subways and it wasn't even close! The next time somebody asks you whether Belltown has more banks than Subways, you can tell them with confidence!