Jet City Journal

Spaced-Out Needle

DSC_0329, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

Post-fireworks haze creates an eerie pall over the Space Needle.

Boom!

DSC_0201, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

Fireworks over Lake Union. July 4th, 2009.

Gaming the Seattle DPD permitting process for fun and profit

I live in a North Seattle neighborhood of modest houses built mostly in the early to late 1940s, generally single-story brick ramblers along with a few slightly larger houses of 1960s or 70s vintage.  Back in January, I noticed some renovations being done an unassuming little house around the corner from mine on North 90th street. The house, which had a detached garage with a mother-in-law unit over it, appeared to be getting a much-needed makeover. 

The original 1911 North 90th Street (or according to Trulio.com, 1917 North 90th St.). Clearly this is a single property. (Photo snatched from Google Maps.  Sorry.)

A few weeks later, construction crews started taking the garage apart. Or so I thought. Within weeks, the garage became a full-fledged and very tall modern home that towered over the surrounding houses. Not only was this new house out of scale and out of character with the rest of the neighborhood, no public notice of land use action had ever been posted signaling that the lot would be subdivided. I decided to try and find out how this could happen.

Nissan chooses Seattle as electric vehicle test market

This is pretty cool.  Seattle is one of several communities chosen by Nissan/Renault to test electric vehicles.  Apparently, we were chosen because we get our electricity from clean hydro sources.

Busker-4

Busker-4, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

Tina and I popped down to the Pike Place Market early on Sunday. This busker was sitting just outside Sisters. He jumped around from Muddy Waters to Credence to CSNY.

It's raining blue

It's raining blue, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

The front yard is in full bloom as of this weekend. So I figure it'll snow any day now.

Mariners Opening Day 2009

Played a little afternoon hooky on Tuesday to go to Mariners Opening day.  With the Red Sox looking completely overmatched this season, I may have to temporarily transfer my allegiance to the local 9. 

A few pics from the day:

Safeco was dressed up for Opening Day.

Spring...

DSC_0028, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

... has sprung.

Quoth the Raven

Quoth the Raven, originally uploaded by Kevin Pedraja.

Shot from Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill.

Inauguration 2009: Scenes from Seattle

I would have loved to go to Washington for the inauguration, but that was not to be.  Still, there was a lot of excitement here in Seattle.

Crowds lined up early outside the Paramount Theater.  We arrived well before 7 am.  The line already snaked up Pine Street, over the Boren St. I-5 overpass and up into Capitol Hill.  Thinking we might not make into the theater, we decided to try and find another place to view the festivities.

We found a seat and a hot meal at Lola.  The atmoshphere was pretty festive.