Fremont Bridge

Came across this article today while browsing the PI. Short story shorter, Fremont Bridge will be closed at various times next week.

They're Grrrrreeaat (Clips)

At first I was pumped about having a hair cutting place so conveniently close as Rudy's is. However, after 1 visit I decided it wasn't worth it to me. Not only was it expensive, but also I walked away feeling pretty unsatisfied with the results. Obviously I am in the minority since it seems busy all the time. I just figured for the simply hair style I have, I could save myself a decent amount of money and drive a little bit further. The Great Clips on 86th has always treated me well. I've always had great results whenever I've been there and they are friendly and there is never a long line. Pretty much the perfect situation if you ask me. They also seem genuinely interested in getting to know their customers. They are always calling their customers by first name as soon as they walk in the door and seem to pick up conversations where they left off last time they came in. Reminds of the small, hometown barbershop I grew going to. For those of us on a budget it is also a better bargain.

I understand that the chain places like Super Cuts can be a bit sketchy sometimes. We've all had our own bad experiences with those types of places. That being said, with the amount of customer retention they appear to have and quality I have experienced, they seem to have strayed far away from that stereotype. I would suggest this place to anybody. I would also recommend James if you get the chance.

herfy's

Finally got over the hump and stopped in Herfy's burgers and teriyaki the other day.  Since I moved here, I wanted to stop by but haven't been able to bring myself to make the trip.  I was always a little offput by the "burgers and teriyaki".  It always seemed like an odd combination to me.  Finally I made it in, and the first thing I noticed was the low prices.  Everything across the board was cheap.  I tried their basic chicken teriyaki dish.  Marginal is the word that comes to mind.  But, you get what you pay for.  I still want to try some of their burgers other offerings.  I found out you can call in your orders ahead of time too for takeout.  All in all, I would say Herfy's is a great spot if you're looking for a cheap, decent, and convenient place to eat, but nothing more.

V-Day in 98103

Fremont doens't offer a wide variety of fancy restaurants for hallmark holidays like Valentines Day, but it doesn't provide a few different places for a more casual(and in my opinion, preferrable) environment.  The Swingside cafe located across from the Buckaroo Tavern on 42n/d and Fremont Ave.  It's real small, so that might be a problem.  But it is well hidden and I've never seen it very busy, so you might be able to sneak in and beat the rushes at all the other high-end restaurants.  If you do want to go the fancy route, I'd suggest Kabul on 45th in Wallingford.  

New developments

News recently hit of a new shopping center in Greenwood that is in the works.  I haven't spent a lot of time in Greenwood, but have come away with a favorable opinion whenever I have spent time up there.  There have always been restaurants and bars that have caught my eye and made me want to go back and check them out.  Issues of building large shopping centers like this always raise the same issues/controversies.  This one has the added element of having environmental concerns since apparently the new shopping center will be located on a bog(which I didn't know existed up there).  So not only are the normal concerns for small businesses and residents there going to be problems, the environmental concerns are going to raise a lot of questions as well.  I suppose I had to take a stand somewhere, I would say build the thing.  Without knowing what exact stores would go in, I think that it would give a solid alternative to some of the other shopping locations.

Also, apparently I was wrong about Mike Huckabee not having a chance in the Washington republican primary/caucus(not sure what it was exactly).  From the sounds of it whomever is in charge of calling the vote one way or the other pulled the trigger a little soon.  Now Huckabee is demanding a recount.  Thankfully I highly doubt that this will turn into our own Florida circa 2000 drama.

Shooting

We've all been through the painful "just in case" fire drills and what not, thinking that nothing was going to happen. The same can be said for school shootings after Columbine a few years back. Apparently there was a gunfight near Ballard High School today and they were forced to go into immediate lockdown. Goes to show that as much as they suck most of the time, they can turn out to be worth it.

A taste of the Middle East

Last night I finally broke through and experienced a local 98103 restaurant that I had been interested in since I moved here. Kabul met all of my expections I had going into it. Ever since I had moved to Seattle, I had never been dissapointed in any of the ethnic cuisines that I was introduced to. The dining area was smaller then I expected, but overall ambiance was great. The staff was fast and friendly. I was surprised at how small the menu was, but the food was great. The mushroom appetizer was awesome, which says a lot because I don't even like mushrooms. The entree was even better. I wish I tell you the name of what I had, but the names were hard to say, let alone to write. In a nutshell, it was a lamb kabob with rice. That doesn't paint the right picture, and come to think of it I wish I would have taken a picture. I would say the one downside is that the food is on the expensive side. Still worth it if you're looking for a nice, quiet, and quality meal. Also, beware of where you park since we got to our car to find a $44 parking ticket. There isn't a parking lot, so if you can't find a good place on 45th, make sure you're not parked in one of the casually labeled residential areas. I'll save that topic for another post.