For those who have wanted to visit the neighborhood Georgetown

Yelp recently sent out a newsletter that was all about the Seattle Georgetown Neighborhood. I thought it was pretty interesting so here it is.








With a catchy slogan like, "Georgetown, it's not just for hookers anymore" who can resist checking out this burgeoning little community? Nestled under the Boeing flight path, and home to numerous quirky businesses, this is one unique neighborhood worth exploring.

If you are going to fit in with the locals down there you're going to need to pick yourself up a scooter. Everyone in Georgetown seems to travel via scooter, and the best place to pick one up is Vespa Seattle. These folks helped ease Robby M through the scooter buying experience by humoring him for over an hour and ensuring he found the perfect scooter. Put on your helmet, we're going to Georgetown!

Go get your motor running with a little liquid fuel. Yep, it's coffee time. There's nothing better than picking up some freshly brewed Vita at All City Coffee. With free wi-fi, great music and friendly patrons Magalie D likes to call this spot "Georgetown's living room." Hmm...maybe that's why people actually talk to each other here.

All that socializing really works up an appetite doesn't it? Luckily, Georgetown is home to several amazing diners. The Georgetown Truckstop might not be fancy, but it sure does serve up some amazing grub. Bounce B says "The owner pulls off daily miracles of perfect eggs, god's own hash brown casserole, Seattle's best breakfast burrito, and homemade cookies." If it's a "bikerish atmosphere" and delish sandwiches you are craving Michelle R says to head to Smarty Pants. We've heard they also serve up some mean hash browns and the spiciest bloody mary's in town!

Now that your belly is full, take a stroll over to the newly opened Fantagraphics Books to check out some of the best indie comic books ever published. Serene C declares that there "Ain't no shame in being a comic loving girl in this day and age, mostly due to legendary Fantagraphics Books." What these folks have done for the art of comics is unparallel and we have them in our own backyard. Go check 'em out. OK... OK... so comic books aren't for everybody. So simply turn your head and check out Georgetown Records , it's housed under the same roof. There now, this place has a little something for everyone!

Wait a minute, what's that sound? Beer. Freshly brewed beer to be precise. Run on over to Georgetown Brewing Company where Jon B recommends picking up a growler of beer. What's a growler you ask? Why, it's a half gallon of beer! Unfortunately you can't drink it at the brewery so go stash it under the seat of the scooter and walk across the street to the 9 LB Hammer to grab a pint and a bowl of peanuts. Matt K warns that the "9lb Hammer is addicting" and he has done serious damage to his liver here. Let's drink to Matt K's health, and to Georgetown!

Ballard one of America's Best Eco-Neighborhoods

From the Natural Home and Garden Magazine
Top 10 Eco-Neighborhoods

"Our picks for the country’s top urban neighborhoods encourage the healthy, eco-conscious good life. These burgs boast community involvement; shopping, libraries and schools within a walkable area; public transportation; and locally owned businesses."

Ballard comes in at Number 10

10. Seattle, Washington

BALLARD NEIGHBORHOOD
Located in northwest Seattle close to downtown, the Ballard neighborhood has a rich maritime history, Scandinavian roots, varied architecture and an energetic business district with nightlife, coffee shops, boutiques, wine bars and a lively music scene.

Curb appeal:

• Lots of trees, nearby parks, access to kayaking and sailing
• Roof with 18,000 low-water-use plants atop the Ballard Branch of the Seattle Public Library.
• Successful curbside recycling program
• High-density neighborhood: empty lots transformed into condos; run-down industrial sites razed and turned into homes
• Green, LEED-certified condos in Hjärta (“heart” in Swedish) building

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Volunteer Opportunities Available at Discovery Park

Great Winter Volunteer Opportunities Are Available at Discovery Park

2007 Discovery Park Volunteer Open House
Saturday, January 13, 1 to 3 p.m.
Interested in making a difference? Kick off the new year right by exploring the possibility of becoming a volunteer at Discovery Park. Join us for our annual open house. Meet current volunteers and find the perfect niche for your skills.

Vacant Volunteer Positions:

• Docent (volunteer naturalist - please see information below.)
• Habitat restoration steward (please see "Adopt-an-area" information below)
• Bird sightings database entry

Docent Program 2007
Interested in learning more about the flora and fauna of the Puget Sound region? Do you love sharing nature with others? Then you might be the perfect candidate for the Discovery Park docent program. Docents (volunteer naturalists) participate in 12 weeks of training and commit at least one year to volunteering at Discovery Park. Responsibilities include everything from helping children catch a tadpole for the first time to teaching the public the important role spiders play in the world. Docents help park visitors of all ages discover the wonders of nature. They do this by leading programs for school groups, teaching interpretive programs on the weekends, and staffing hands-on discovery stations in the busier areas of the park. Docents' backgrounds are as varied as the people they teach - the common thread is their desire to share nature with park visitors.
Applications are due February 1, 2007, and training starts February 21.
For more information, please call Dan Moore, the docent coordinator, at 206-386-4231, or e-mail him at dan.moore@seattle.gov

Habitat Restoration "Adopt-an-Area" Program
The purpose of Discovery Park's "Adopt-an-Area" program is to improve habitat for wildlife in the park's 550 acres. Volunteers perform a number of tasks, including removal of invasive plants, beach cleanups, and planting trees. We match people their interests and time commitments. You can volunteer as an individual or as a group.
For more information, please call Dorothy Guernsey, the "Adopt-an-Area" supervisor, at 206-386-4295, or e-mail her at dorothy.guernsey@seattle.gov.

Mayor Urges Action to Prevent Gun Violence

SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels today called again on state leaders to pass common-sense gun laws to help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and give cities more tools to protect neighborhoods from gun violence.

Nickels urged lawmakers in Olympia to ban assault weapons, close the gun show loophole that allows criminals to buy weapons without background checks, and require trigger locks and safe storage of firearms.

“With guns, it only takes a moment to take a life,” Nickels said. “When it comes to stopping the flow of illegal guns on our streets, we don’t have a moment to lose.”

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence gave Washington State a D+ for its efforts to shield families from gun violence. State law preempts local communities from passing stricter gun regulations, leaving cities few options for curbing criminal access to guns on a local level.

Although Seattle remains one of the safest major cities in America, guns have been involved in far too many crimes in the city. Like other major cities, Seattle is dealing with an increase in gun crime.

Seattle police report aggravated assaults with a firearm rose 19 percent through November 2006 and were up 48 percent compared to the same period in 2004. Firearms were used in 22 of Seattle’s 31 murders through October of last year.

“No one knows more than Seattle police officers the terrible price we all pay for not having reasonable and common-sense gun laws in this state,” said Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske. “This is about addressing the volume of guns on our streets and the ease criminals have in arming themselves.”

Seven states have passed full or partial assault weapons bans, including California, New York and Hawaii. Seattle police seized more than 140 of these military-style weapons over the past five years. They were used in 37 violent crimes, 11 drug crimes, 14 parole violations and 25 cases of unlawful possession.

“There is no logical reason to allow criminals access to this kind of firepower,” Nickels said. “We need a tough ban on assault weapons to get them off our streets.”

Nationwide, 18 states have closed the gun show loophole, which allows anyone - including a convicted felon - to buy a weapon without a background check. According to a study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, gun shows are a significant source of illegally trafficked guns, supplying as much as 30 percent of all guns sold in violation of federal law. There were 42 gun shows in Washington in 2005, including 22 in the Puget Sound area.

Passing a requirement for trigger locks and safe storage would help prevent the theft of guns from homes and reduce the chance of accidental shootings, especially among children.

Seattle has been recognized nationally for its efforts to identify the traffickers and “straw” purchasers who supply many of the weapons used in crimes. The city has taken the lead in working with other law enforcement agencies to develop a database that will assist police in identifying the sources of guns used in crimes, known as “gun-trace data.”

The information will be used to ensure that all licensed gun dealers in the region are playing by the rules and following federal, state and local firearm regulations.

Nickels is a founding member of Mayors Against Gun Violence, an organization that now includes 123 mayors nationwide. This month the mayors will convene in Washington D.C. to urge the new Congress to defeat a series of gun bills that would protect criminals by making it harder for ATF and law enforcement agencies to share information on gun crimes.

Some Good Condos/Townhomes in Seattle

With the holiday season in the past Real Estate usually starts to pick up and we see more and more listings on the market. Seattle has 194 new listings as of Jan 1st 2007. Here are some of my favorite listings currently on the market.

Capitol Hill Townhomes
$384,888 108-B 21st Ave E Seattle 3 Bed 1.5 Bath 1350 Sqft
$399,000 138-B 21 Ave E Seattle 2 Bed 2.5 Bath 1358 Sqft

Green Lake Townhome
$359,950 1155 N 91st St Seattle 2 Bed 2.5 Bath 1200 Sqft

Capitol Hill Condos
$315,000 Mezzo 711 E Denny Way unit 106 1 Bed 1 Bath 688 Sqft
$339,990 Bolero 1323 Boren Ave unit 210 2 Bed 2 Bath 771 Sqft

Lake Union Condos
$258,700 2012 Waverly Pl N Unit 5 1 Bed 1 Bath 641 Sqft

Belltown Condos
$339,000 76 Cedar St Unit 707 1 Bed 1 Bath 640 Sqft

If anyone is interested in checking out these units or others in the Seattle Metro Area
Feel free to contact me

Alex Garcia
Keller Williams Realty
Seattle Metro West
4452 California Ave SW

Collage of Seattle Pictures from New Years

Random Seattle New Years pictures from Flickr