[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is an unpaid "Reader Review" of a local Burien restaurant. If you want to write one and have us consider it for publication, please email us.]

by Suzanne Greive

Germaine’s Country Kitchen is now serving dinner – let’s all help support a local family business located at 14901 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Burien, WA 98166.

Germaine’s is a favorite breakfast and lunch spot. They are expanding their hours to serve dinner. To me, they are the “Cheers” of breakfast, ” Where everybody knows your name”. I love supporting a local family business. Mom, Jacki in the kitchen, daughters Jennifer (1/2 owner) and Kaitlyn are serving.

Germaine’s Country Kitchen is dedicated to the memory of Grandmother Germaine Maribeau Bourton. Germaine came to America in 1919 to live on a farm in Eastern Washington.  At that time, all she could do in the kitchen was boil water. Soon, she was selling her egg salad sandwiches at the family barn dances, cooking for the local Catholic church, and planning and cooking dinner for the members of the American Legion. For years, Germiaine was well known to folks in the Waterville area for her wonderful apple pie, maple bars, chicken dinners, and the wine she made in her cellar. Germaine started the family tradition of gathering in the kitchen with good home cooking! Come share the warmth of family and the enjoyment of good food, bringing you the same warmth and comfort of Germaine’s original country kitchen.

Their nightly specials are:

• Monday – Traditional turkey dinner
• Tuesday – Mexican night
• Wednesday – Pasta night
• Thursday – Meatloaf
• Friday – Steamer Clams/ Steak

Jacki is especially proud of her steamer clams. She said she “loves being able to present such a dish to folks who may not be able to afford to go to somewhere like Anthony’s or Salty’s.”

Hope to see you there!

- local resident, Suzanne Greive

by Gina Bourdage

Set in the familiar location of Snoqualmie Pass, an unlikely group of travelers find themselves trapped by the snow-closed passes in “Snowbound,” which opens Friday, Jan. 15th at BTB Advertiser E.B. Foote Winery.

In the solitude of a quaint local inn, each guest is faced with conflicting personal struggles, not only with themselves but with the other guests as well. Learning that the local sheriff (a guy reminiscent of Barney Fife, played by Scott Green) is looking for an escaped convict only adds to their heightened sense of self preservation and sends each person seeking answers about who they can trust and what they are really looking for.

The cast of this Breeders Theater production showcases an array of experienced talent, all of whom holds your attention and keeps you guessing. Each actor brings a unique perspective to their role, including:

• Binky (played by Brenan Grant) the “emo” young man who relishes in his own misery.
• Lovely (played by Teresa Widner) whose out of control hormones seem to be too much for even her to handle at times let alone her trail of conquests.
• Ike (played by Martin J. Mackenzie) the innkeeper who had such a convincing of role of the friendly small town fellow whose trustworthy and friendly nature draws people to him.
• Glenda (played by Kelly Johnson), Binky’s mother, shows hints of a 50s sitcom housewife whose traditional values are challenged by raising a rebellious young man.
• Hank Thompson (played by Andrew Smith) the seemingly sincere, reliable and at times dryly sarcastic chef finds himself thrown into uncomfortable positions of his fellow traveler’s dilemmas.
• The young couple “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (played by Stephen Scheide and Laura Smith) who find themselves in a suspicious bind that even they are unsure of how to resolve.

Each guest is presented with the overwhelming concern of not only wanting to avoid an encounter with the escaped convict, they have to question; could the convict be among them? Distracted by only their own egotistical veils, each person reveals humorous and deeper struggles among each other.

While I found each performance to be well played, I struggled with the level of general air-headedness that most of the women and at times the men possessed. Being confused is one thing, but as the script rolled along the naivety prevailed leaving me to question the characters’ intended intelligence.

The lack of an actual set was at first distracting for me; however the actors/characters got and kept my attention quickly enough for me to get past it. The theater in the round, or more like “audience as bookends,” might be new for some viewers, but brings a complete perspective to the show and allows you to see each scene as if you were actually there.

All in all this TM Sell play directed by Michael Brunk was humorous, charming and engaging while bringing a level of the traditional whodunnit to an unsuspecting ending that I can only say was jarringly layered and thought-provoking.

I would recommend not missing this performance of “Snowbound,” especially for Alfred Hitchcock and Twilight Zone fans, as the references are abundant…just be sure to bring a coat.

No, seriously – it can get a little chilly at E.B. Foote Winery this time of year.

Tickets are $20, and include the play, hors d’oeuvres and a wine tasting by E.B. Foote.

You can purchase them at the winery (127-B SW 153rd in Burien; 206-242-3852), at CorkyCellars in Des Moines (206-824-9462) or online here.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Non-Reviewer Doesn’t Review Breeders Theater’s “Snowbound”
• PHOTOS: Behind-The-Scenes Peak At Breeders Theater’s “Snowbound”
• The Pass May Be Closed, But Tickets Are Now On Sale For Breeders Theater’s “Snowbound”

by Mark Neuman

We had a regularly scheduled staff meeting at The B-Town Blog’s dorm room-like offices Wednesday morning, where a non-regularly scheduled question was asked.

“Hey Neuman. Can you do a review of the dress rehearsal of the comedy ‘Snowbound’ at E.B. Foote Winery (BTB Advertiser) tonight?”

“Well, uh, I’ve never actually reviewed an actual play before,” I stammered.

“Good,” said Blog Editor Scott Schaefer. “I’ll expect your review in the morning.”

Great. What do I do now?

Honesty is the best policy I reminded myself, so hours before I arrived at the winery, home of many Breeder Theater’s productions over the past several years, I “pre-wrote” my opening review paragraphs, which I now present, for the reader’s approval:

In the spirit of full disclosure it should be noted that, first of all, in addition to never having reviewed a play before, I met ‘Snowbound’s’ author, playwright T.M. Sell, almost a third of a century ago, while hanging out at the Highline Community College newsroom, where my pals would, late at night, put the school newspaper, The Thunderword, to bed, as they say in the biz.

Second, I intended the above paragraph to be as run-on-ish as it appears.

Third, I was lucky enough to have made the pleasant acquaintance of ‘Snowbound’s’ director, Michael Brunk, last year. He is a brilliant Photographer, and we work together with Schaefer on the blog.

Michael’s skill with the camera is amazing. He reaches the summit on his photographic mountain climbs so amazingly frequently that we blog staffers just stare skyward and declare: ‘Good Brunksmanship!’

And fourth, speaking of E.B. Foote Winery, I actually know THE E.B. Foote. The Footes were among my best friends growing up, going way back to first grade. Chris Foote and I visited his parents as they were just finishing building out their first winery, in South Park, also about a third of a century ago.

Okay. Full disclosure is out of the way.

At the winery Wednesday night, minutes before the house lights did what house lights do just before a play is about to start, I looked over and Thank Goodness there was my blog colleague Gina Bourdage, with her friend Jack, who reminds one of a quiet and calm Jack Black.

“I’ll be doing the review of the play tonight,” said Gina, confidently. Wisely, Schaefer had recalculated the assignment.

“And I’ll just tell the story of a Regular Joe such as myself who never sees theater,” I responded.

“Fine,” smiled Gina as she and Mr. Black moved on.

Relieved, to say the least, that Ms. Bourdage would handle the rough stuff, I felt free to muse over and note such things as the jar full of multicolored M&M’s at the table of hors d’oeuvres.

“M&M’s at the hors d’oeuvres table!” I said to myself, because, well, no one else was within earshot. “Clearly Sell’s and Brunk’s contracts demanded the confection. And just as clearly, the winery refused to be limited to just one color, Led Zeppelin style. Or was it The Who? Lynyrd Skynyrd? Well, anyway.”

Gina will provide details of the play under a different headline, but let me give you a thumbnail of “Snowbound”:

Dean Martin plays an airline pilot who has an affair with a beautiful flight attendant, played by Jacqueline Bisset…

Then…oops, sorry…those are my notes from the first film I reviewed, “Airport,” for the Lafayette Elementary School Gazette back in 1970.

Let’s see here. Lemme get a little better organized. Okay. Here we go:

“Snowbound” is a mirthful production that concerns a group of unique personalities stuck in a lodge near the pass, just off I-90, in a wicked snow storm. The roads are all closed for the foreseeable future. And wouldn’t you know it? An inmate has escaped from the state pen in Monroe. A killer, perhaps? Is he among those stuck in the lodge?

What will T.M Sell think of next? See the play (it starts this Friday, Jan. 15th), and find out. It’s terrific, especially for the $20 price, which includes wine tastings, hors d’ouevres and of course, a great and entertaining play chock full of lots of Sellishness and Brunksmanship (you can buy tickets online here).

Stage Manager, Andrew Pogue, when asked before the show what advice he gives to anyone about to stage manage their first play, said: “Don’t start out with ‘Annie.’ And use checklists. Lots and lots of checklists.”

When asked after the dress rehearsal by this reporter what advice he had for anyone wanting to write their first play, T.M. Sell said “Know what you want to write, and stick with it. The initial writing part is relatively easy. It’s the rewriting process that can be difficult.”

He then said “Now Neuman, please go away and don’t contact me again for another third of a century.” (Just kidding, folks.)

Nancy Warren arranged the music and sang beautifully. Word is that regular Breeder Theater goers complain if Nancy does not sing somewhere during a performance.

An audience member, who I will refer to as “Becky” because, well, her name IS Becky, said “Of the four Breeder Theater plays I’ve seen, ‘Snowbound’ is the funniest. I laughed repeatedly.”

Kelly Johnson, who plays Glenda, the mother of Binky, has been acting since childhood. She has advice for prospective actors about to read for their first part: “Go bravely,” said the auburn beauty.

Go, ready to enjoy yourself, to “Snowbound.” I heartily recommend it. It runs through January 31st.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• PHOTOS: Behind-The-Scenes Peak At Breeders Theater’s “Snowbound”
• The Pass May Be Closed, But Tickets Are Now On Sale For Breeders Theater’s “Snowbound”

by Scott Schaefer
Publisher/Editor

As 2009 (and the first decade of the 21st century) winds to a close, we’re taking a few moments to reflect on a very interesting year, full of new beginnings, tragic endings, a drunk city manager, record-setting temps, an innovative art installation, a fake news issue, an expanding city and much much more.

Not only was 2009 a very exciting year for the area, it was also an outstanding year for The B-Town Blog, as our Readership rocketed from around 10,000 per month to nearly 50,000 in November (THANKS EVERYONE!).

Herewith, we proudly present what we consider to be the Top 11 Burien Stories of 2009 (Top 10 lists are soooo 2008), in reverse order:

11. The B-Town Blog’s Fake April Fool’s Day Issue: You can blame this idea entirely on me – as a former comedy Writer who has loved “fake news” since the 1980s (anyone out there remember HBO’s “Not Necessarily the News“?), I thought it might be kinda fun to do our own hyperlocal version on April Fool’s Day.

Who knew that it’d really fool people into believing that a new nightclub with Strippers on Segways was moving into the old Office Depot space?

Oops.

The most rewarding aspect of this online prank was the slew of Comments, emails and yes, even a couple of inquisitive voicemails – one from a local businessperson asking for more info on the “new strip club,” another from a man whose business monitors the internet for “terrorist news” (he was very interested in the interview with the laser pointing culprit, and he found the story through searching the keywords “laser” and “airport”).

Here’s a short collection of some of the best gags & comments:

BREAKING: Ex-Office Depot Space To House Strip Club

Dona Forrester: “I hope this is an April Fools Joke also? This would be terrible for Burien!”

Christine: “Gosh I hope this is an April Fools joke too…yikes….empty space beats a strip joint any day.”

BREAKING: King County To Fence In North Highline Area

too embarassed 2 say: “I didn’t fall for Google’s, or UW Daily’s, but then I saw this title in the RSS feeds, and for a second I was totally wondering…”

Several blogs linked to our “Strippers on Segways” story, including Nerve.com out of New York City:

10. Is The New Nude Female Sculpture At B/IAS Too Explicit? Take Our Poll…: After reading a Comment left in one of our Forums about a new, “naked female statue” at Burien’s Interim Art Space, we took some pics, posted a story and a poll, then sat back and watched as 140 people Commented (read ‘em here) on this “controversial” sculpture called “Paradigm Shift” by artist Mike Magrath. Soon, even mainstream media picked this story up, including a blog at the LA Times and a right-wing “news” source called Breitbart.

Soon, our own Mark Neuman and Bart Bryan were out interviewing people, asking “Whaddaya Think?” Of Burien’s Controversial Nude Female Sculpture? in this video that was viewed by nearly 2,400 people:

9. Burien’s Interim Art Space’s Fiery One-Year Life: The innovative Burien Interim Art Space, conjured up and co-curated by residents Kathy Justin and Dane Johnson, brought a taste of “Burning Man” to the city, with unique art pieces ranging from Dan Das Mann’s iconic “The Passage” to a way-cool (or rather, hot) computer-controlled “Fire Pod” sculpture that shot fire out to techno music, and sadly, was only lit up once (on opening night) due to fire regulations.

Like many residents, we were sad to see B/ IAS dismantled, but luckily we have lots of media to re-live its short but interesting and inspiring life in B-Town:

Here’s Photographer Francis Zera’s time-lapse of the installation of “The Passage”:

Here’s our photo slideshow recap of that opening night (w/pics by Maureen Hoffmann and Scott Schaefer):

And here’s a video of opening night shot by Steven Bradford:

And finally, here’s Photographer Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow of the B/ IAS “de-installations”:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

8. HOTPOCALYPSE ‘09: Burien Has Its “Hottest Day” In Recorded History: the mercury hit 104-degrees in Burien on July 29th, and it was all anyone could talk about. The city turned on sprinklers to help people cool off, while some creative residents like Carrie Rasmussen baked cookies (yes, cookies) in the back window of her Nanny Gloria’s car:

From Reader Candice Packer came this pic of a truly-retro Honeywell thermostat showing that the day’s temp was totally off the chart:

Our own Mini Cooper Blogmobile recorded the following 104-degree temp whilst overheating in downtown Burien:

BTB Photographer Francis Zera won the “hottest place” contest with this shot of his thermometer hitting 106.2!:

7. Burien Man Stabbed To Death Outside Good Time Ernie’s: Tragedy struck Burien when Mark. K. Ebinger (25, pictured left) was stabbed to death outside Good Time Ernie’s in an “ambush” that also injured his brother Peter, 24.

The incident occurred around 1:40am on Nov. 12th. Sheriff’s detectives interviewed bar patrons and witnesses, but no one has yet been arrested, the investigation is ongoing, and a $5,000 reward has been offered.

If anyone has any information on this case, they should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-274-6313.

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the crime scene taken the morning after the incident:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

6. King County’s Stealth Attempts To Sell Puget Sound Park May Postpone Official Annexation: King County stealthily attempted to sell Puget Sound Park to the King County Library System out from under Burien.

Puget Sound Park is located in the unincorporated area of North Highline that is to be annexed by Burien early next year.

This is an ongoing story, and we’re proud to have been the ones to break this news, including publishing numerous letters from new King County Exec Dow Constantine showing his support for keeping the park, to our upcoming coverage of Burien City Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak’s role in the issue (she serves on our city council as well as the board of the King County Library System, and our records show she never informed the council on this possible deal nor recused herself – more to come on this soon).

5. Burien City Manager Mike Martin Arrested For DUI: City Manager Mike Martin was arrested for a DUI on April 19th after his vehicle left the road and struck a ceramic pot in the yard of a house.

According to King County Sheriff’s records, Martin was found outside his car, “leaning forward and swaying side to side.” His breath allegedly smelled strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he admitted to drinking a couple glasses of wine and two beers.

This was not Martin’s first run-in with the law – previously he resigned as Chief Administrative Officer for the city of Kent after a 2005 hit-and-run incident. Martin has been city manager since November 2006, and his yearly salary is $135,180.

We took a poll of our Readers, and of 223 responses, 53% thought Martin should “Resign immediately, get treatment and move on.“

However, Martin entered a “Not Guilty” plea, and remains in his position, with an amended contract:

(click to view PDF of entire contract)

4. Over 1,000 Witness Burien Town Square Grand Opening: On June 13th, Burien’s brand-spankin’ new Town Square opened, including a new City Hall, Library and Condos which, sadly, sits mostly empty some six months later.

The Highline High School Pirates marching band kicked off the grand opening ceremonies by marching (and boisterously playing) down SW 152nd to the main podium at the Town Square where numerous local and state dignitaries spoke to a crowd estimated by local police as “well over 1,000.”

The day’s celebration served as the culmination of over 12 years of the city’s planning for the $193 million “town square as the central focal point for the downtown core” as first approved in 1997, then developed and built beginning in 1999 until construction began in 2004 to Saturday’s festive ribbon cutting ceremony.

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

3. Sound Transit Opens Light Link Rail Line July 18th: Although the nearest stations are located in Tukwila and SeaTac, the fact that South King County is now part of the northwest’s first mass transit system is huge news.

For just $2.50, riders can get to downtown Seattle from this area in around 35 minutes and not have to worry about parking or traffic.

Reporter Ralph Nichols wrote I Rode Link Light Rail & Lived To Write About It. Have You?

2. Burien Nissan Loses Entire Inventory, Closes: Over a few nights in March, several large 18-wheeler haulers pulled up and took away all of Burien Nissan’s new car inventory.

After the business’s “flooring” (financing) fell through, at least 100 new cars were removed, with an estimated value between $2 and $3 million, leaving the once-bustling car lot looking like a ghost town:

At the time, Sales Manager John Antonelli said:

“it’s business as usual – we’re still open for business in service, parts and sales. When we get our new financing we’ll re-open in a couple of weeks.”

Because the flooring could not be re-established, at least 35 employees were laid off, and in May, the business closed for good despite a recent $5 million remodel.

After one false attempt to re-open the dealership by a new owner, nothing materialized and the lot still stands empty, a beacon to 2009’s weak economy.

Because auto dealers account for a significant portion of tax revenue for Burien, Dick Loman, Economic Development Director for the city, said:

“This sorry economic downturn is just hurting everybody.”

1. Voters Decide To Approve Burien’s Annexation of Southern North Highline: On Aug. 18th, voters in the southern portion of North Highline voted by a 56% to 44% margin to approve Burien’s annexation of that area.

With this annexation (once set for March 2, 2010, but now delayed pending to the above-mentioned Puget Sound Park issue with King County), Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington – just above Olympia – with a population of about 45,000.

Currently Burien ranks 31st in the state, but look out Richland – you’re next!

So…what do YOU think the Top Story of 2009 was? Please take our Poll, or leave a Comment below…

by Kelly Johnson

There is no question Seattle is an amazing city for food, drink and great places to go out, get out, hang out and hang loose. But here’s the drawback:

What happens if you don’t live in the city?

Fortunately, Dan Thiessan of Bellevue’s 08 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine bar was wondering much the same thing, so he brought a bit of neighborhood warmth, uptown style and devotion to dining out fundamentals — such as making people happy — to those of us here in the south end.

I had the privilege of spending last Thursday night at Archery Bistro (formerly Cafe Mia). I didn’t know what to expect really. “Ooh. Ahh. A new place in Normandy Park,” I thought. I am now amending my original thought by adding a few more “h’s” after that initial ooh and ahh.

I don’t care if you’re a smalltown to downtown meat & potatoes lover, a seafood fan only interested in the market list or the “go out of your way to try the one thing you haven’t seen on a menu elsewhere” type. The diverse but unpretentious menu here gives a nod to them all. While Archery doesn’t skimp when it comes to a solid array of beer, traditional as well as upscale soft drinks and liquor, it is the wine that will win you over. There’s a wine list designed to pair well with whatever might be on your plate. But if you don’t know what to choose, that’s not a problem. Feel free to leave the Sommelier lingo at the door if it’s not your mother tongue. Dan and his staff have you covered there. Just tell them what you like. The wine list is extensive yet unintimidating with price point being under twelve dollars by the glass and bottles in the $24 to $50 range.

The kitchen shared generously with us that night. High points go to the “crab no cake” crab cakes with the ribbon-thin drizzle of apple aioli giving the sweet densely packed meat perfect tang. This isn’t the Panko proffered version you might be used to. It’s just densely-packed loveliness encased in a golden brown sear from the pan. Oh and for those of you who don’t like greenery, you’re missing a bet if you don’t eat the Fuji apple and watercress slaw that comes with it. This is one time no one is going to have to make you eat your vegetables.

The Cowboy Beef Tenderloin — emphasis on the word tender — had a dry rub that could very well make our counterparts south of the Mason-Dixon Line want to sit up and take note! The tenderloin was carefully prepared, juicy and darkly flavorful. The coffee ground rub put a confident spin on what is sure to be a crowd favorite.

My guest and I also got to try the artfully brined cedar-planked Salmon that flaked perfectly, along with the Apple wood Smoked Pork with the Mushroom Forest Hash (the Pork Chops and applesauce Bobby Brady would only hope to try) and a Squash Soup whose flavor embodies winter time cozy and a texture that could only be described as velveteen.

If you can pull yourself away from focusing on your meal, you’ll note the tribute the décor pays to Glen St. Charles of Northwest Archery fame. Warmly hued wood, subtle touches from the St. Charles’ museum and a beautifully executed wine rack display instantly lend itself the overall dining experience.

The restaurant hasn’t even been open a month, but I noticed staff and patrons are already exchanging first names in greeting, good byes and all that’s in between. Keep an eye out for this place. The commitment to community, its customers and high quality cuisine is quite a gift to us here in the south end this holiday season.

See what happens when you make it onto Santa’s “nice” list?

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the Archery Bistro by Michael Brunk:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Archery Bistro is located in the Normandy Park Town Centre at 19803 1st Ave. South, Suite 104 in Normandy Park.

Their hours are:

• Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Dinner: Nightly, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Happy Hour: Daily, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.; 9 p.m. – Close
• Bar: Daily, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Their phone number is 206.429.3145.

by Shawn Underwood

Word travels fast here in B-Town.

I was just gathering my courage to call my dentist to make an appointment for a tooth scrubbing when Margi, the receptionist at Dr. Abolofia’s office phoned me—for the third time.

“Shawn, so glad I finally caught you at home, how are you? Have you heard of ‘Eat Local’? I bought the Chicken Pot Pie, and it was to die for! By the way, you are way overdue for your six-month check up!” She said all of this in pretty much one breath.

“Yeah, I have been meaning to go there, isn’t it right next to the bike shop?” I said.

Maybe if I kept the conversation away from overdue appointments she would forget why she called . .  . It could happen. But it didn’t. However, I did visit ‘Eat Local.’

The first thing I noticed when I walked in the door was the Thundering Hooves sign on the wall. That sign alone gave me the feeling that a cow could be grazing out back. The store feels homey and it should because everything is prepared right on site. There are a wide variety of choices from, appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts and wine. A fair amount of the hand-made entrees were packaged in reusable glass containers, which can be bought and returned through deposit as you would a milk bottle.

Greg Conner, Eat Local owner and extremely affable fellow took me on a tour of the store. All of the ready-to-serve items are produced from ingredients procured locally from nearby farms that specialize in organic produce. I was amazed to find such specialties as Pork Cassoulet, made with pork, beans and sausage and then slow cooked in a wine sauce. I haven’t eaten cassoulet since I lived in France seven years ago. Thundering Hooves beef and poultry is pasture raised and hormone-free. I wonder if the cows and chickens are having menopausal issues—being hormone-free and all.

Speaking of local—Greg’s a homeboy. He grew up in B-Town and attended Kennedy High School. He opened his first Eat Local store in Queen Anne and is excited to be back in his hometown, and frankly I for one am very glad to have a place to pick up a quick ‘made from scratch’ meal for my peeps. I was just contemplating another cooking strike—just for the heck of it.

So, give yourself a break and visit the friendly folk at ‘Eat Local.’ It’s not to be missed.

Twenty-five years of living in Burien gives Humorist Shawn Underwood much fodder for her writings.

All of her stories are true, or at least have a grain of truth with no added embellishments.

Or something like that.

Read more of her humor at her website here.

The Port of Seattle announced that it will start sampling and testing stormwater from the former Lora Lake Apartment complex in Burien this winter as part of a legal agreement with the Department of Ecology (Ecology).

Ecology is seeking public comment on this plan through Wednesday, Dec. 23rd, and residents interested in reviewing the proposal should click here.

The project, called an “Interim Action,” is part of the work the Port is required to perform to study contamination at the site, which housed a barrel-cleaning company in the 1940s and 50s and an auto-wrecking facility from roughly 1960 to 1981.

A 22-building apartment complex was built in 1987. The Port, which owns Sea-Tac Airport nearby, bought the property in 1998 and demolished six buildings within the airport’s Third Runway protection zone in 2007.

The remainder of the buildings were demolished just recently.

Environmental samples taken in preparation for that demolition showed higher than expected levels of contaminants from the pre-apartment complex activities at the site. Pollutants associated with the site’s former activities include petroleum products, dioxin, solvents and other contaminants.

The Port demolished only above-ground structures, and took measures – under Ecology oversight – to not disturb potentially contaminated soil.

Port consultants will collect stormwater samples during rainstorms, with a plan to collect sampls during up to 10 storms. The information will help Ecology determine whether the site requires special or additional stormwater controls or treatment. Polluted runoff – stormwater – is the leading threat to water quality in the state’s urban areas.

As we reported in August, the Port of Seattle wants to develop facilities for airport-compatible activities there, such as air cargo, food service and warehouses, and on other property it owns within Burien’s Northeast Planning Area north of the airport.

But the now-vacant lot is just inside the Burien city limits and several city council members hope this location will anchor economic development in the Northeast Planning Area that will generate additional sales tax and other revenue for the city. Possible land uses include an auto mall and a business park.

City Manager Mike Martin said recently that an interchange at the location, at 15001 Des Moines Memorial Drive, would increase the value of the Lora Lake site for business development.

It is also available for review at the Burien Public Library (400 SW 152nd St., 206-243-3490), as well as the Department of Ecology’s regional office in Bellevue – by appointment (425-649-7190 – 3190 160th Ave. SE).

A fact sheet on Lora Lake Apartments site is available at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0909175.pdf.

For technical questions or to comment on the plan, please contact David South, Ecology Site Manager, 425-649-7200; e-mail dsou461@ecy.wa.gov.

A very mixed week in the Burien area, from the tragic stabbing death of a young man outside Goodtime Ernie’s to the discovery of an infamous deadbeat Dad living in another state under a new name, to the growing needs of a local food bank and much more.

Here are the stories we covered between Nov. 8 and Nov. 15, 2009:

ARTS:

Lots of interesting news this last week in the Burien area, from Day of the Dead to Election Day to the Day of a Massive Police Response in Tukwila and more.

Here are the stories we covered between Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, 2009:

by Scott Schaefer

Burien’s own Hi-Liners’ fall production of the family-friendly “Thoroughly Modern Millie” wraps up this weekend (Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30pm and Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1:30pm) at the Highline Performing Arts Center, and we’d like to encourage all our Readers who haven’t been to go see it.

Not just to support the Hi-Liners, a great non-profit that helps kids channel their passions into pure talent (which you’ll definitely see on display, as this show is professionally produced and is hilarious!), but also because the Hi-Liners need your help.

If you don’t believe our endorsement, here are some others:

“The kids were absolutely AMAZING and I can’t wait to see it again next weekend!”, said one audience member.

“I laughed so hard that I nearly fell out of my seat!” said another.

“It was the most professional student production I’ve ever seen!” raved another audience member.

But don’t just rely on what you hear…go see the show and experience it first hand on its closing weekend – good seats are still available – to purchase a ticket, please visit their website at www.hi-liners.org or by calling 206-617-2152

Kathleen Edwards, our Artistic Director, has said it very well:

“We are not in existence to create professional actors and actresses. The Hi-Liners exist to help produce quality people who become assets to our community and our society in general.”

So far over 4,500 young people have experienced our program since 1994 and I am proud of each one. If our program sounds like a worthwhile addition to our community and you have enjoyed our shows, I hope you will take the time now to insure that we are doing this next year and for many years to come.

The Hi-Liners is a 501 (C) 3 Corporation and all donations are tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation to the Hi-Liners organization, please visit our website at www.hi-liners.org/support.

Thank You so much for your support and I hope to see you at the show!

- Gerry Gilbert
President
The Hi-Liners Inc.

We saw the show last weekend, and we were thoroughly impressed by the acting (especially Alexzandra Gorski as Millie, Kate Moyer as Mrs. Meers, Max Seifert as Mr. Graydon and Taylor Moury as Miss Flannery), the outstanding dancing/choreography, music (there’s a live orchestra in the pit), singing, and of course the hilarious script which includes some knock-out numbers done by local youths.

You should know that we saw this the day after returning from Vegas, where we saw some shows (including Cheap Trick doing Sgt. Peppers!), and we gotta say, this Hi-Liners production rivaled what we saw there.

That my friends is a thorough endorsement from The B-Town Blog, not only of our own Hi-Liners, but of the entire cast as well as Director Kathleen Edwards, Music Director Mara Ostrand, Choreographer Taryn Darr and every single other person involved!

Buy your tickets online, right now, right here (or by calling 206-617-2152) and support local arts and local youth!

by Gina Bourdage

Wizards, Witches, Demons, a Princess and a King. Lies, deceit, greed, ignorance and kidnapping…yes “The Last Magician” has it all. An important story which begs each viewer to consider in their own terms the potential consequences of the impact they have on situations they may have been too naïve to realize, begging the question:

What would you give up if you could save the world?

Taking a deep subject matter, adding a twist of humor with pop musical numbers interjected gives light to subject matter that could otherwise be taken as mundane.

The Breeders Theater’s production at TM Sell’s play at E.B. Foote Winery has found a way to reach out through a not only entertaining but skilled cast to tell a story of what is being called an “environmental parable about sacrifice and responsibility.”

Each cast member brings a quite unique perspective to the characters, including local references…they were actually able to seamlessly improv a Mariners score update for those of us who missed the game attending the matinee. The King, a strong and noble man (played by The B-Town Blog’s Photog Michael Brunk), the “silly” wizard (J Howard Boyd), a loveable yet wise centerpiece, even demons both friendly and intimidatingly strong to fight for a cause.

The cast also features:

• Adrienne Grieco
• Eric Hartley
• Steve Scheide
• Nathan Hicks
• Laura Smith
• Brenan Grant
• Doug Knoop
• Kelly Johnson
• Pamela Mohn

The show is directed and choreographed by Teresa Widner, with music by Nancy Warren and costumes by Melissa Sell.

If you’re of legal age, accompanying the performance you will receive six wine tastings courtesy E.B. Foote, along with hors d’oeuvres, all for $20.

Please note that there is a special discounted price of just $15 for the Wed., July 22nd and Thurs., July 23rd shows!

The setting for the play is in the charming, working (which means the temp is cool) wine cellar and performed in the round for the audience.

Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7pm. Sunday shows start at 2pm and the doors open at 1:30pm.

E.B. Foote Winery is located at 127-B SW 153rd Street in downtown Burien.

Tickets are available at the winery, 206-242-3852 and at Corky Cellars, 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines 206-824-9462.

For more information please visit www.breederstheater.com.

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the cast in action:

Click to View Slideshow

by Gina Bourdage

Long has been the debate over Phở – who has the most authentic, largest variety, what do you do with the dish of stuff on the side and not to mention how the heck do you pronounce it correctly without sounding like a tourist?

Fear not faithful blog fans, I have come to rescue you from the overwhelming list of options, narrowed it down to the top five locations between Burien and White Center and can tell you it’s NOT pronounced “fo.”

With French and Chinese influences it is the Vietnamese whom perfected this dish. Pronounced “fuh”, this popular lunch dish can be eaten at any time of day and is commonly served as breakfast in the Vietnamese culture.

Varieties of ingredients vary depending on location, however most commonly you can find the brisket, meatball, tripe, tendon and tofu for the veggie eaters out there. One thing to keep in mind if you are a vegetarian, just because you ordered tofu does not make this an animal-free dish…the broth is meat-based so be sure to verify with the server if they have a vegetable broth as an option. Each bowl, no matter what protein you choose, will come with rice noodles, broth and onions, what you choose to add from the plate on the side is up to you.

Purists each have their own way and will debate authenticity, however I say add what you like ‘cuz it’s your lunch! I suggest going for a handful of bean sprouts, squeeze of lime, torn up Thai basil, a generous squeeze of Siricha (the red sauce with a rooster on the jar) and a splash of soy.

On the table at most places you can usually find Hoisin or fish sauce, an intense looking chille paste concoction, and jalapeños if you dare. I am personally a no more than 2-3 star kind of gal so how you turn up the fire is your call. Break up the noodles, stir in your additions and don’t be a wimp… eat this dish with chop sticks and a spoon!

If you’re not craving Phở by now, you need to wake up and get into one of my top five faves and see what the fuss is all about. In a very particular order from most consistent, most authentic, and best price I give you my Phở Five:

	1. Phở: 9642 16th Ave SW, White Center 98106
	2. Phở Tai: 148 SW 148th St # B100, Burien 98166
	3. Phở Lily: 14611 1st Ave Burien, 98168
	4. 88 Restaurant: 9418 Delridge Way SW, Seattle 98126
	5. Phở Mỹ Lợi: 10439 16th Ave SW, White Center 98146

I tried each and every Phở place I could find in the area (some more than once) and these are the ones I know you will find a dish that tastes like you are visiting your long lost Vietnamese relatives not matter what culture you’re from.

by Julia Wight

Here comes summer, along with the latest art show at the Burien Art Gallery. This time avant-garde meets heart warming watercolors and superb photos. In other words, here is something for everyone.

In the main gallery, it’s fun to watch people’s reaction to the work of sculptor Timea Tihanyi. One visitor asked me if they were remodeling. Timea has converted mundane objects that barely attract our attention into sewn soft cut felt sculptures that make us question what is art and hopefully start us thinking about how we perceive our environment.

In the other room in the main gallery, Yann Novak offers an example of “performance art.” He has responded to that particular space in creating a line of pillows facing an alcove that reminds him of a stage. Two small loudspeakers flank either side of the alcove when turned on emit an indistinguishable sound that lasts for 8 minutes. In a written explanation he addresses his fear of the perfect impossible performance.

For a complete change of art landscape we ascend the stairs welcomed by two light infused paintings by water colorist Sue Ellen Huff. Her work covers subject matter from still lives containing exquisite sunflowers and gleaming blue glass to landscapes with people, a gaggle of geese and interesting treatment of water. I would urge any student of watercolors not to miss this exhibit.

In her photographs, Chris Gowers chooses nature as her source of inspiration. She creates straightforward prints or gives us heady compositions that morph into abstract art through her skillful eye and digital treatments.

Some of Tom Fletcher’s photos leave me breathless in their exquisite rendition. His treatment of a calla lily is simply high art. Widely traveled, his subject matter is a feast for the eyes including some small prints of fruit and vegetables.

Downstairs in the annex, Highline High School artists present a high level of talent with a powerful mix of collage (torn paper), penciled still life, photography and mixed media.

The Burien Art Gallery is located at 421 SW 146th Street in a little blue house in Dottie Harper Park:

• Phone: 206-244-7878
• Email: info@burienarts.org
• Hours: Wed. 4pm through Noon Sunday

by Jim Branson

Have you been to this area’s’s off-leash dog park?

Grandview Park is Disneyland for Dogs, the happiest place on earth, according to my dogs.  My youngest will start yipping with joy as soon as we turn off of I-5 at the 200th Street exit.  Although this park is actually in Sea-Tac, it’s only ten minutes away from the middle of Burien, and it is supported, in part, by Burien tax dollars.

We have been going to this park ever since it opened in 2003.  It’s a great place to visit on a sunny spring day, but it’s even better, from a Labrador Retriever’s perspective, when we’ve had two inches of rain, or when it has a blanket of snow.  Actually, there’s never a bad time to visit the dog park.

With 37 acres to roam, you can spread out and find your own space, or you can congregate at the main play field to let your dogs socialize.  To the north of the main dog areas, you’ll find a healthy forest with native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.  The park is maintained, in part, by volunteers from SODA, Serve Our Dog Areas.

Currently, the grass is higher than a dog’s eye.  It’s kind of fun to play in, but one of my dogs came home with a tick, which must have been lurking in that tall grass, waiting for a tasty dog to trot by.  I’m sure they will be cutting the grass soon.  It’s hard to find a ball when it goes into that deep grass, and the mower will probably be spitting out shards of tennis balls on mowing day.

My youngest dog always finds a mud hole to wallow in, but you can keep your dogs clean if you steer them away from the low spots.  I have found that a muddy dog is a happy dog, and I can always give them baths when we get home.

PROS:

• Large open space with good gravel surfaces and plenty of grass.
• Great view of Mt. Rainier, most days.
• Friendly, happy dogs.
• A nice trail through the forest to the north.
• Bathrooms, bag dispensers, and drinking water.
• It provides a place for Burien’s dogs to play off-leash, instead of our local parks, which aren’t designed for dogs to safely run off-leash.

CONS:

• DO NOT leave valuables in your car.  Many cars have been broken into.
• Dog walking services sometimes come with dozens of dogs at a time, and they can’t always keep track of all the messes they should be cleaning up.
• It’s not actually in Burien.
• It is not 100% fenced, so people with dogs at risk of running off should choose a fully-fenced dog park, such as Westcrest, Genesee, or Magnuson.

Here’s a photo slideshow of my dogs in action at Grandview Park:

Click to View Slideshow

Grandview Park is located in SeaTac:

View Larger Map

Click to View a Slideshow of Art at the Burien Art Gallery

Review of the Art Show at the Burien Art Gallery (through May 31st)

by Julia Wight

“And then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils.”

And so will your hearts when you see what’s showing at the Burien Art Gallery now through May 31st.

In the main gallery a group of eight artists calling themselves the G8 have collaborated in an outstanding exhibition under the leadership of Margaret Davidson. The emphasis here is on drawing in different and expressive ways using graphite, pen, ball point, pastel, charcoal, carbon dust and colored pencil with added water color and a few impressive oil paintings.

As you turn right into the first room you will be greeted by Margaret Davidson’s intriguing paintings of buttons using the medium of colored pencil and watercolor. She imbues her pictures with a delicate and timeless quality, and like the siren’s call the observer is drawn back again and again to ponder the mystery that surrounds these everyday objects.

To the left, Cathy Bohlke’s use of carbon dust softens each still life into an exquisite sense of intimacy. The beauty of the details is the work of a true master.

In stark contrast, Pamela Durga Robinson’s commanding life size self portrait executed in pastel and charcoal, demands your attention. Before us is a strong determined woman in no way diminished as she clutches a large knitted doll while at her feet a doll’s chair tilts towards the viewer. Her smaller oil paintings of dolls create a disturbing ambiguity.

Moving now to the larger gallery the oil paintings of Lolly Shery recapture the work of the old masters with their perfectly chosen frames and yet still convey a whiff of modernity. On the left hand wall are three handsome life drawings, one by John Unbehand and two by Courtney Estevin. As you turn left three oil paintings by Julia Stanton grace the corner with her entrancing rendering of a small pile of balls of knitting wool. As you move back into the gallery you can’t miss Courtney’s and John’s still lives. His ball point drawings are dazzling. The unique works of Joseph Pentheroudakis is all about texture and line.

Upstairs you are in for a treat. United Artists, Nancy Bogni, Rachel Loy and Judy Dore have put together a real eye pleaser. Nancy Bogni, a noted water colorist gives us wonderful examples of the use of light and juxtaposition of color in her still lives and charming portraits. Rachel, using markers and colored pencil creates her own unique style that is child-like, sophisticated and colorful. Judy Dore honors the body in her use of oil, pastel and colored pencil.

The lower gallery displays a variety of skills from Evergreen students concentrating on drawings interspersed by some simple water colors.

Gallery hours are Wed- Sun noon – 4:PM.

Come and hear Margaret Davidson talk tonight, Friday, April 24, at 7pm and attend a reception on Sunday, May 31st, the last day of the show.

ABOUT BURIEN ARTS:
The Burien Arts Gallery is located at 421 SW 146th Street, in the little blue house in Dottie Harper Park.  Phone number is 206.244.7878 and email is: info@burienarts.org

The gallery offers a wide spectrum of high-quality visual arts. It sets itself apart as the only local venue to feature emerging contemporary artists. Innovative shows open at least six times a year in the main galleries, connecting the Burien/Highline region to the very pulse of artistic growth. Festive opening and closing receptions are held every two months, artists talks coincide with each new gallery show, and gallery tours are available daily.

Upstairs galleries provide display areas for community artists and members of Artists United who serve as the gallery’s strong volunteer base. The downstairs education annex showcases the talent of local high school art students as well as a gift gallery featuring prints, jewelry and ceramics created by local artisans.

by Gina Bourdage

The term “dive bar” conjures up negative images of dark, smoky, smelly taverns, shady staff and questionable menus full of deep fried mystery food.

Burien’s Barrel Tavern is in no way any of these things.

In a time where trendy bars are becoming dives or using gimmicks to lure you in, while dive bars are becoming trendy bars by serving 40s or watered down versions of drinks they call “specialty beverages,” there are fewer and fewer places serving up a good old dash of reliability.

After numerous visits, purely for research of course, I found there was far more at The Barrel than meets the eye:

1. The moment you walk in you are treated like a regular.
2. There are no unidentifiable smells that overwhelm you when you walk in. Rich local history.
3. Plenty of parking. Come on it used to be a Drive In! Built in 1963 as the “Triple XXX Drive In,” owner Linda Enright has worked hard to keep the integrity of the original landmark building.
4. Bikers welcome…but you can come too.
5. Live bands that you actually want to see. And did I mention NO COVER!
6. Seattle’s longest-running open Jam Session every Tuesday.
7. Karaoke every Saturday and sometimes Fridays. Hundreds of great karaoke singers…and 3 bad ones.
8. The most dedicated owner you may ever meet. She cares about her customers and her community.
9. No drama policy. Do not test this one – trust me, the staff will win.
10. Free poker tourney every Wednesday.
11. A menu that could put most dinners to shame. Fresh, well made pub grub that will have you returning for more than just a beverage. Insiders tip: go for the fresh, not deep fried tacos, the Barrel burger (fresh never frozen) or the Barrel chicken sandwich.
12. Saturday & Sunday breakfast menu that could cure any hangover.
13. If you need more than just liquid entertainment there are darts, a pool table, pull tabs, video games, and flat screens always playing the game.
14. A jukebox that is filled with only the greatest classic rock, country and 80’s faves.

Leave your club clothes at home and forget the overdone hair, this is one spot it won’t work.

Be prepared to sit back, hang out with old friends and even make some new ones.

If you’re looking for a dependable neighborhood bar with a ton of character, in more ways than one, you need not look any further than The Barrel.

The Barrel is located at:

11051 1st Ave S

Seattle, WA 98168

Get Directions

(206) 244-7390

View Larger Map

by Julia Wight

I was totally blown away by the work of Steve Roumas in the Main Gallery at the Burien Art Gallery.

Most artists show you the world through their eyes but Roumas lets you enter his world. Surrounded by his work, evokes the same sensation as standing among ancient ruins or some holy site. One visitor told me it was very “Zen.” I could wax lyrical about his pictures but like a great book or movie I don’t want to give away the details. Come and see for yourself. I predict a great future for this artist.

In the Upper Gallery, you will find a delightful array of paintings courtesy of Artists United, a vibrant organization of artists who contribute their time and talent to the Burien Art Gallery. The three mediums of oil, acrylic and water color are very well represented by Carol Huddleston, Judy Eckhardt and Carolyn Dorratcague respectively. Carol’s eye popping still life of a can of sardines is the work of a virtuoso and her self portrait holds with you with liquid eyes as I am tempted to reach over and stroke an eye brow. Judy’s uses soft shades of peach and lavender to illuminate seaside and pastoral scenes. Nearby in stark contrast, two paintings of lilies and daisies with dark backgrounds show another side of this artist’s talent. Carolyn’s watercolors display a great sense of color and variety of subject matter. She seems equally at ease painting docks and boats or a red barn in the snow. Her crows and urban chickens would make a wonderful edition to anyone’s art collection.

The Education Annex houses an exhibition of fanciful skateboard art and some very good wood cuts executed by talented students from local High Schools, including Evergreen High School Technical Campus in White Center.

I urge you not to miss this show – I guarantee it is worth the effort.

The Burien Art Gallery is located at 421 SW 146th in Burien (map below), and is open from 12-5 Wednesday through Friday, 11-5 Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday.

For further information about this exhibit or Burien Arts, please contact Erin Williamson at (206) 244-7808 or via e-mail at erin@burienarts.org.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Friday Reception At Burien Art Gallery For Graphite Art

View Larger Map

by Matt Marble

Everybody has rules.

A common one is that you never mess with a man’s family.

This is what happens in the action thriller “Taken.”

Bryan (Liam Neeson), a former secret agent living in the US,  is very skilled in hand-to-hand combat, divorced, and he loves his 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) who lives with his ex-wife and her new husband Stuart (Xander Berkeley).

Kim wants to take a vacation in Europe with her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy), and together follow U2’s European tour. But when they arrive in Paris, they get kidnapped by some thugs and are forced into the sex trade.

When Bryan finds out, he heads to France and starts knocking down doors…and busting heads. With only 96 hours before she vanishes forever, time is not on his side.

The film demonstrates that a father’s love knows no bounds. From the very beginning, you can feel the connection that Bryan longs to have with his daughter. Giving up his “career” to be closer to her is a sign of this. “Taken” is filled with action and violence, but also has a good feeling of family and love.

Written by Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”) & Robert Mark Kamen, and Directed by Pierre Morel (“The Transporter”), “Taken” is rated PG-13.

“Taken” was #2 at the box office last weekend, and has brought in over $100 million bucks; it’s playing at several area theaters – click here to see locations and showtimes.

Here are some clips of the movie to whet your appetite:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: "Matt's Movies" is a regular movie-review column written by Matt Marble, a 17-year old student at Highline School District's Big Picture High School.

If you have a movie you'd like for him to review, please email him.

Look for more of his movie reviews and other articles soon on The B-Town Blog!]

by Matt Marble

When Adam Sandler first appeared on Saturday Night Live in the 80’s, it was clear that he was going to become a great comedic actor.

He has stayed strong since then with films like Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and The Longest Yard.

Now he stars in Disney’s “Bedtime Stories” as Skeeter Bronson, a happy-go-lucky hotel handyman who dreams of one day running the establishment that his father built.

But when the current owner informs him that the job will go to his arch enemy Kendall (Guy Pearce), he feels like all he’s worked for has been flushed down the toilet. Then his sister Angie (Courtney Cox) has a business trip and asks Skeeter to watch his niece and nephew for a couple days. This seems like his worst nightmare, but when the stories he tells them actually start to come true, Skeeter sees this as an opportunity to help his situation.

I had a feeling going into this film it was going to funny and…I was right.

Filled with tons of laughs and great chemistry, this has been the funniest movie I have seen this year! And with this film being a made by Disney, you can be sure that it’s kid friendly.

Adam Sandler makes a great role model in this movie by showing children that happy endings aren’t just for fairy tales.

Local theaters and showtimes here.

Here are some clips to tide you over until you hit the theater:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: "Matt's Movies" is a regular movie-review column written by Matt Marble, a 17-year old student at Highline School District's Big Picture High School.

If you have a movie you'd like for him to review, please email him.

Look for more of his movie reviews and other articles soon on The B-Town Blog!]

by Gina Bourdage

BTB Advertiser Bistro Baffi gives Burien a refreshing twist on the expected Italian fare.

From the moment you enter the Bistro you feel like family. Fresh, not over seasoned flavors resonate though each dish. The originality and robust selections on the menu make an evening in the little corner Seahurst hideaway enchanting. I don’t know if it was the fireplace, the colorful artwork or the impressive wall of wine but the romantic atmosphere of Bistro Baffi cannot be denied despite its tucked-away location.

Former owners of The Beach House Italian Café on Alki, Michael Vujovich (chef) and his wife Dinka have brought Burien an inspiring variation to the expected Italian cuisine. Shopping daily for the freshest ingredients at Pike Place Market is how Michael determines what he will create for the daily specials. Offering flavors of his home in Montenegro, there are options for even the most discerning palate at very reasonable prices. He even makes it a point to visit each and every table to make sure you are enjoying your meal. You won’t be able to mistake Michael due to his signature handlebar or “baffi” moustache and charismatic personality.

I had the pleasure of experiencing the daily special of pork with grilled peppers and a creamy Gorgonzola which could have been easily overpowered by the strong flavors of the aged cheese, but was seasoned to perfection. I started off the meal with the signature stuffed mushroom caps with more than your traditional basics inside. They were accompanied by the famous spicy pink sauce which I expected a heavy bite from the description but was pleasantly surprised to find the spice was only a gentle kiss in the delicious blend. The freshness of each dish truly showed through by not being over spiced allowing the integrity of each ingredient shine. I wrapped up the meal with a tiramisu and an entertaining shot of flaming Sambuca. I have had my share of tiramisu in the past but Bistro Baffi has found a way to balance the sweet and savory for a wonderful end to the evening.

To find food this fresh and genuine you would expect to pay quite a bit more than the prices you will find on the menu.

I learned also that this February 14th, Valentines Day, Bistro Baffi is taking reservations for a romantic six-course dinner with a variety of options for the main course. Mentioning you heard about this event, which has limited space, on The B-Town Blog will allow you to receive $20 off for each person along with discounts on wines from around the world. Call (206) 244-0737 to book your special Valentine’s Day Dinner package before Feb. 10th (the secret password is “Scontare“)!

Insiders tip; ask for the daily specials on any visit. These items will not only be some of the freshest and most seasonal ideas straight from the creative chef, but something you may not be able to get on a daily basis.

I had driven by Bistro Baffi a number of times always telling myself, I have to check that place out some time, I can genuinely say I am glad I did. This place is a must visit for a night of exceptional flavors made by a family that takes pride in and loves to share with their guests cuisine of the home in Montenegro.

Bistro Baffi is located at 15217 21st Ave SW in Burien, across from the Seahurst Post Office and St. Francis of Assisi:

View Larger Map

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Gina Bourdage is The B-Town Blog's Directory Editor. She will be conducting additional restaurant reviews, so if you'd like yours reviewed, please email her.]

by Matt Marble

Brad Pitt has already established himself as a Hollywood heavyweight, sharing the screen with close friends like George Clooney, Matt Damon, and his current wife Angelina Jolie.

But in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Brad stands tall on his own.

Stretching his dramatic wings, Pitt plays the title character, who is born with a disease that causes him to age backwards. When he comes into this world at the end of World War I, he is physically around 80 years old. His parents believe that he’s a monster, so they leave him on a stranger’s doorstep, thinking that he won’t survive. But Benjamin beats all odds and grows up to experience life through the eyes of a man with a lot to live for.

His adopted mother has a saying, “you never know what’s comin’ to you,” which is very fitting because Benjamin takes on a lot at an early (yet old) age. Through his meetings with people who make a profound impact on his life, it’s easy to say that he is a product of his environment.

This film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, which speaks a lot about the quality of the acting.

In all, it’s a heartwarming story of determination and a great example of living life to the fullest…live like every day was your last.

Written by Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”) and Robin Swicord (“The Jane Austin Book Club”), adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Directed by David Fincher (“Fight Club,” “Zodiac”), this movie is rated PG-13.

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is still playing in theaters in the area; here’s a list of showtimes.

Here are some trailers and clips of the film:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: "Matt's Movies" is a regular movie-review column written by Matt Marble, a 17-year old student at Highline School District's Big Picture High School.

If you have a movie you'd like for him to review, please email him.

Look for more of his movie reviews and other articles soon on The B-Town Blog!]

by Matt Marble

Most movie buffs think that Clint Eastwood was at his prime playing Dirty Harry or starring in one of his many “spaghetti” westerns.

But I think that Gran Torino proves that Eastwood is still in his prime, as both a leading Actor and Director.

He stars as Walt Kowalski, a retired autoworker and Korean War Vet, who’s not afraid to pronounce his hatred for…well everybody.

When a Hmong teenager tries to steal his mint condition 1972 Gran Torino, his temper flares. After the failed carjacking, the boy’s family insists that he repays Walt by working odd jobs. Over time, Walt gets used to the kid. A series of events lead to a very heartfelt and memorable climax.

In the beginning of the film, I was unsettled by the anger that Eastwood possessed for the Hmong people, but by the end, you can witness the transformation from angry old man to caring neighbor.

You don’t have to be a fan of Clint Eastwood to enjoy Gran Torino – just a fan of great storytelling…and remember, this film is rated R for a reason.

Gran Torino is playing at many local movie theaters; you can find movietimes here.

Here’s the trailer for the film, which was ranked #1 at the box office last weekend, as well as an AP feature on Eastwood:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: "Matt's Movies" is a regular movie-review column written by Matt Marble, a 17-year old student at Highline School District's Big Picture High School.

If you have a movie you'd like for him to review, please email him.

Look for more of his movie reviews and other articles soon on The B-Town Blog!]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: "Matt's Movies" is a new regular movie-review column debuting today on The B-Town Blog. It is written by Matt Marble, a 17-year old student at Highline School District's Big Picture High School.

Matt is the second teen Writer to join our ranks after Josh Hart.

If you have a movie you'd like for him to review, please email him. Look for more of his movie reviews and other articles soon on The B-Town Blog!]

by Matt Marble

Two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith leads a great dramatic cast in “Seven Pounds,” a film Written by Grant Nieporte and Directed by Gabriele Muccino.

Smith portrays Ben Thomas, a mysterious IRS agent who has many inner demons. From the beginning of the film, the Director creates a deeply emotional tone. I felt that I spent the whole film trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do and why. Thomas’ entire persona changes when he meets Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson), an ailing woman who forms a deep bond with Thomas.

After several other meetings with people who seem to have various 
problems with their health, relationships etc., you realize that he 
wants to help them, although you are just not sure to what extent or
 why.

There are a couple of scenes where he meets with his life-long best friend Dan (Barry Pepper) where you will get a little hint of something, but as quickly as it seems that you will finally find out what is going on – the movie moves on.

By the end of the film though, it all adds up and the message that shines through is amazing.

The one point I hope everyone takes away from this powerfully moving movie is that while the world is a cruel, mean, violent place, there are people around that truly do care about changing the lives of others for the better…

Here’s a trailer for “Seven Pounds,” which is still playing at several local theaters, as well as an interview with Will Smith:

Everyone and their brother’s mother do “Year In Review” stories, and since this is the first year we’ve ever reviewed on The B-Town Blog, we figured we oughta give it a shot as well, so here goes our Top 10 Stories (with active links so you can read & review for yourself) for the Burien area, as voted on by our incredibly large staff:

1. DECEMBER SNOWSTORMS BLAST BURIEN: After much debate and deliberation, we decided this was definitely the #1 Top Story since the snow affected so many people, from school closures to street closures, from work stoppage to delayed garbage/recycling pickups and much more – this was one of those 10-15 year weather events that affected everyone in some way.

On a self-indulgent side note, it also ended up boosting our traffic 4x times, resulting in our highest one-day audience ever on Dec. 21st: 1,642 Unique Visitors and 2,608 Pageviews.

2. FATAL JUNE 29 ARSON APARTMENT FIRE: A horrific fire burned down the Tara and Jenny Marie Apartments on a nice summer’s night, killing three people (Edgar Omar Cisneros Velazquez, 8, his father Ramon Cisneros Sanchez and Lindy Kunimoto, 49).  The arsonist is still at large, the crime still unsolved, the landlords are being sued, and the entire Burien community is permanently scarred.

The community of Burien quickly rallied however, and we’re proud to have co-sponsored (along with Discover Burien) the Fire Victims Fundraiser Auction that raised $10,500 at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub on July 16th.

3. BURIEN & SEATTLE AGREE ON NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION: The Cities of Burien and Seattle came to a preliminary agrement on who gets what as far as dividing up the pie that is North Highline/White Center (if you’d like to read the entire document, click here for a PDF file). Burien will pursue annexation only in Area X (approx. SW/S 116th and south) while Seattle will pursue annexation in Area Y (north of approx. SW/S 116th) until Dec. 31, 2011.

Big news for both cities, as they seek tax credit relief, as well as residents in X and Y ‘hoods, as they get to vote on it.

4. OPENING OF THE 3rd RUNWAY AND ANGRY RESIDENTS’ REACTIONS: To much fanfare, the Port of Seattle proudly opened its $1+ billion third runway on Nov. 20th. Within days, numerous residents in the new flight path were livid over the increased noise, claiming being lied to or misled by the Port before its opening, not to mention lost sleep and mental anguish. This is an ongoing story that is only just starting, and will get bigger, as dozens of residents are teaming up with a team of lawyers and are pursuing legal actions.

We’re happy to be right in the middle of it all, and we look forward to bringing you exclusive interviews, stories and videos in 2009 and beyond.

5. “MR BURIEN” DICK DAHLGARD PASSES AWAY: The passing of Burien business icon (the still-vacant “Dick’s Camera” building sits eerily quiet on First Ave South with his bright orange signage on it), native son, longtime resident and an active, generous Rotary member who didn’t miss a meeting in 46 years shocked the entire community.

Highly deserving of the nickname “Mr. Burien,” Dahlgard, 73, passed away in his sleep on Nov. 5th.

1pm 12/31/08 UPDATE: Dick took the photo below on Sept. 5th, at the 55-year reunion of Highline High School’s Class of ‘53; he then went to Bartell’s in Burien, had the photo printed, then returned to the party before it ended and gave them out to all the attendees. Later, he shared this photo with us at the BTB but regretfully, we never got around to posting it. We post it now as our tribute to “Mr. Burien,” who is missed by many.

6. AREA FOOD BANKS SUFFER DURING RECESSION: Both the Highline Area Food Bank and White Center Food Bank have suffered during 2008’s recession, sending shockwaves through the lower-income residents of the area. We’ve done what we can by holding our own fundraisers (including a “Blog Party” in August and a Turkeys N’Diapers event in November), promoting others and trying to continually spread the word; but unfortunately, even the wealthiest residents are hurting too.

Here’s a hearty and heartfelt toast to a resurgent 2009 where no one in our community ever goes hungry again.

7. BURIEN TOWING’S MARK AND BRIAN STORER KILLED IN PLANE CRASH: Burien Towing’s Mark Storer, 51 and his son Brian, 24, were killed July 24th when their floatplane crashed 10 miles west of Shelton. According to witnesses, the plane struggled to reach altitude after taking off from Nahwatzel Lake before vanishing behind some trees, crashing then exploding. Mark Storer founded and operated both Burien and Airport Towing, and leaves behind his wife, Lynette, and a surviving son and daughter. His son Brian was married with two small children.

Brother and son Jared Storer turned his blog into a heartfelt tribute to his Dad and Brother – check out his entries for July here.

8. AN ENGLISHMAN’S PERSPECTIVE ON OBAMA’S VICTORY: “Bob” is an Englishman who lives in Burien who wrote a very interesting piece on his experience the night of Nov. 4th when America’s first African-American President was elected. “Bob” drove from B-Town to downtown Seattle, where he took part in a spontaneous street celebration at First and Pike streets.

Looking forward, “Bob” plans on attending the historic inauguration, and we hope to have more stories from him then.

9. CHERNOBYL CHILDREN FIND SAFE HAVEN IN B-TOWN: Contributing Writer and Burien resident Cynthia Reid wrote a compelling story about area families who host children from Chernobyl every summer. These kids become “adopted” by their US host families, who treat them as their own, form bonds with them and help them heal far away from the still-dangerous radiation in Belarus.

In September, the story developed into controversy over a California family that allowed their “adopted child” to essentially defect to the US, temporarily ending the program (read the story here).

10.“THE DAY MY PARENTS BECAME COOL” FILMS IN BURIEN: Local resident and lawyer-turned-filmmaker Steve Edmiston Wrote and Directed a 16-minute comedy film about the day grown-ups mysteriously tried to be “cool,” with crazy hair, low-riding pants, thongs, piercings, tattoos and attitude, and how their kids subsequently reacted. Featuring locations like Burien’s own Highline High School, as well as cameo appearances by Highline Schools Superintendent John Welch (see animated photo below), the film was sneak-previewed in Seattle on Dec. 7th to an incredibly receptive crowd of friends, crew members, actors, actresses and dignitaries (luckily, including us – read our review here).

The B-Town Blog will keep you updated about this local project, which is sure to make the rounds of numerous short film festivals throughout 2009, as well as having a big “Premiere Party” in the area soon.

Okay, so that wraps up our first-ever “Year In Review” posting.

We hope you enjoyed 2008 as much as we did – it was a year full of new challenges, new ideas, new ventures, a new, non-home office, many gains, countless setbacks…yet when we look back at it all, we wouldn’t have traded 2008 for anything.

As far as this website is concerned, 2008 was a *huge* year that saw our traffic grow from a measly 266 Unique Visitors in Dec. 2007 to nearly 14,000 in Dec. 2008, a stunning increase of over 5,000%!

That’s right – in our first year of publication, our audience has grown over five thousand percent!

And have we mentioned yet how great the New Year is to purchase an Ad on The B-Town Blog?

However, we have a feeling that 2009 is going to be a better year all around, and we vow to do everything we can to make The B-Town Blog your best and most-frequently updated online source for local news, events, listings, feature stories, videos, photos and more. We’ve got some big plans coming soon, so check back often, and/or subscribe to our RSS Feed or free Weekly Event Newsletter for the latest.

On that note, we’re actively looking for freelance Writers to help us take this website to the next level – email us for details!

Thanks for reading, and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Curious about how Burien plans on annexing parts of North Highline and White Center?

The City of Burien is holding its first in a series of informational open houses next Tuesday, Jan. 6th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at Shorewood Elementary School, located at 2725 116th Street in Burien (map below).

Here’s what the city says about the meeting: “Informational open house will provide information about what annexation will mean for the people within the proposed annexation area.”

Format:

• There will be a presentation followed by a Question and Answer session.
• Refreshments will be provided.
• Interpreter services can be arranged if requested 72 hours in advance.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 6th, from 6:30pm – 8:00pm

WHERE: Shorewood Elementary School, located at 2725 116th Street in Burien (map below).

INFO: Annexation Info Line: (206) 436-5555; Email: annexation@burienwa.gov

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Hey everyone – the City of Burien’s new website is live online!

To put it all into context, let’s first take a look at a screenshot of the old website:

And now, the new one:

Our initial reactions are:

THE GOOD:

• Does this mean Burien has a (gulp) new logo? Could new “Welcome to Burien” signs be far behind?
• It’s much easier to navigate.
• Much higher production values.
• The photo slideshow is tres’ groovy.
• Burien finally looks beautiful and cool, and not like some lame 70s clipart enclave.
• If I didn’t already live here, this would make me more inclined to consider moving (hmmm…maybe that should be in the “Bad” category?)

THE BAD:

• Where’s the prominent link to the B-Town Blog on the front page??? We’re not even on their “Quicklinks” page. Grrr…
• The previous city website link/URL (http://www.ci.burien.wa.us/) No. Longer. Works. (hey website team you need to do a re-direct – stat!)
• The “Home” navigation button is not intuitively placed (like most ‘net users, we’re used to finding it in the upper left of the upper nav menu).
• There are still other links-within-pages that cause some confusion.
• The streaming video of the council meetings still requires just Windows Media. Well, at least it’s not RealMedia…
• The Calendar of Events page shows no events going on. Hey, we know Burien’s a sleepy town but there has to be something going on, right?
• The fancypants cursive graphic navigation choices are hard to read.

So…what are your thoughts?

Email us, or Post A Comment below…

Burien City Councilperson Lucy Krakowiak tells us that the hot topic of Annexation will be on the agenda at tonight’s Burien City Council meeting.

And guess what – you, the public, are invited to show up and comment.

Here’s the official language for tonight’s meeting:

“Discussion and possible action on proposed resolution calling for annexation by election of a portion of the North Highline Unincorporated Area.

Burien voted on a partial option (14,000 people) earlier this year but withdrew it from the Boundary Review Board waiting for King County to approve ammended County Wide Planning Policies with regard to annexation.

These CPPs were scheduled to be adopted 10/6. Therefore, the City of Burien will re-visit and re-vote.  This is scheduled to occur on Monday 10/13.

This is a study session.

I specifically requested that citizens wanting to speak to council be recognized and allowed to comment regarding this item during next week’s meeting due to the unusual possible action at a study session.”

This just in from the City of Burien:

Map of the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA)

The City of Burien, in partnership with the Port of Seattle (operators of Sea-Tac International Airport), is studying the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA), located north of the recently constructed third runway.

The study will identify ways to help property owners transition their properties from a mixture of vacant, residential, public, and small commercial land uses to uses that are compatible with operations at Sea-Tac International Airport.  The NERA redevelopment strategy and master plan will evaluate options that are flexible and respond to market conditions, as well as propose ways to guide long-term redevelopment in the NERA.  This effort will build upon past planning and environmental studies.

The public is invited to attend a meeting on Thursday, October 23, 2008 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the cafetorium in the Cedarhurst Elementary School (611 South 132nd Street in Burien – map below) to share comments and perspectives related to strategies that are developing for the NERA.

The evening’s discussion will cover the following topics:

• Market and economic conditions
• Land uses – community and airport compatibility
• Transportation
• Utilities and infrastructure
• Environmental considerations

The consultant team working on the NERA strategy and master plan recently completed the existing conditions analysis, which included identifying the location of Miller Creek, adjacent wetlands and their protective buffers. A detailed market analysis also was prepared. The team has also been working with City of Burien and Port of Seattle staff to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges in the NERA planning area, as well as to identify potential redevelopment scenarios.  The results of this work to date will be summarized at the October 23, 2008.

If you have questions or would like to obtain additional information, you are encouraged to contact consultant team member Kristen Clem at Otak (phone number: 425-739-7959).

You can also send an email to the project email address: NERA@burienwa.gov or check the City’s website at www.burienwa.gov.

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[EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was written by Josh Hart, a 15-year old student at Highline “Big Picture High School” in SeaTac who recently wrote on the economy as well as the JFK vs Highline football game.]

by Josh Hart

Many of you watched the vice presidential debate last Thursday – this was the one and only debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin.

The two Vice President candidates debated taxes, global warming, energy independence, gay marriage, foreign policy, health care, nuclear weaponry, their running mates’ policies, education, their duties as VP, and even what they would do if something happened to their running mate.

I thought both of them did better than I thought they would coming into the debate. They both had well-presented attacks on the other party, and both discussed their own opinions and beliefs. Both candidates made mistakes and they both could have represented their running mate better.

I thought Palin got off subject a little too much, but Biden talked more about himself than he should have. Overall they both came out stronger than before and so it doesn’t affect the election as much as many of us thought it would.

It definitely helps Palin’s reputation, because many people thought she was the weak link in McCain’s campaign.

I can’t wait to see how this election comes down in the end.

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We heard rumors about this all summer, and now it looks like it’s true according to the City of Burien – the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center, located on SW 152nd (with prime waterfront property on Lake Burien) is proposing to change its area zoning permit from “Special Planning Area 2″ to “Moderate Density Residential Neighborhood and High Density Multi-Family Neighborhood.”

The City of Burien will be holding a public meeting about it on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7pm, at 15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW (Suite C) to receive public comments.

From what we understand, the owners of the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center are looking to develop two waterfront properties with single family homes, plus two single-family homes directly behind them. To the back and left of that would be multi-family housing. Whether or not they want lake access for the multi families or for the two houses in back is still in question.

Here are the meeting details:

• Public hearing will be Tuesday, Sept. 23rd at 7pm
• Meeting will be at 15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite C (map below) to receive public comments on the application
• The Agent for Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center is R.W. Thorpe and Associates Inc., Jennifer Lee, ASLA
• Proposed Change Comprehensive Plan map designation is from Special Planning Area 2 to Moderate Density Residential Neighborhood and High Density Multi-Family Neighborhood; as well as to change the zoning designation from Special Planning Area 2 (SPA-2) to RS-7,200 and RM-18
• File is available for viewing at Burien City Hall during regular business hours
• Any person may submit written or oral comments or testimony at the public hearing, or may submit written comments prior to the hearing. Written comments may be submitted in person, via mail, e-mail or by facsimile. All documents submitted or requested as part of this application, including the City staff report are available for review at City Hall during regular business hours.
• Contact for the City of Burien:

David Johanson, AICP, Senior Planner
Department of Community Development, City of Burien
15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW (Suite C)
Burien, WA 98166
Phone: (206) 248-5522
E-Mail: DavidJ@burienwa.gov

Stay tuned to the B-Town Blog for further developments on this, including some upcoming interviews with Lake Burien-area residents opposed to the proposed zoning change.

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The September issue of Seattle Magazine has a very positive two-page “Urban Safari” review of Burien, with mentions of local businesses like The Tin Room, Australian Pie Co., Elliott Bay Brewery and others.

One interesting element of said article is this purple “Insider Tip” box on the second page (p. 48):

Memo to the Reporter and Editors of Seattle Magazine:

While I did spend three seasons as Senior Writer on “Bill Nye the Science Guy” and won three Emmy Awards…

I AM NOT BILL NYE’S BROTHER!

The fact of the matter is: I AM HIS SISTER.

But seriously…as flattering as it is to be included in The Science Guy’s™ gene pool, here are some simple tips on how to differentiate between us:

1. The last names “Nye” and “Schaefer” are vastly different in spelling, letter and syllabic count.
2. We have different Mothers.
3. We have different Fathers.
4. I have three sisters, Mr. Nye does not.
5. I don’t wear bow ties, lab coats or safety goggles.

So, to everyone who read this story and believes everything they read, so sorry to disappoint y’all.

To Mr. Nye…can you spare $10,000 for your little sis? I still need to have some more “work” done in Denmark…

And to everyone else who finds this mistaken sibling blurb humorous and wants to share their thoughts, you can write a Letter to the Editor of Seattle Magazine here.

B-Town Blog’s Mark Neuman filed this late-night missive with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer around 11pm Thurs. night:

Scott -

Got back, about an hour ago, from the City of Burien’s community meeting at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church earlier tonight (Thurs., Aug. 28). Topic: proposed annexation of North Highline and the temporary withdrawal of the City of Burien’s request to pursue said annexation.

About 45 people attended, and one could reasonably assume that a goodly portion of the attendees (this correspondent included) would have preferred to view, live, the televised acceptance speech of Senator Obama. Must rely on delayed broadcast for that.

About half of those in attendance were Boulevard Park residents, and about half of those are home owners. As noted by one attendee, most everyone there was Caucasian and not exactly springing from the younger side of life.

But all were earnest, many were skeptical, and few were without opinion.

While this was only my second meeting regarding the annexation proposal, I believe I came away with some accurate observations:

Burien City Manager Mike Martin is a very decent fellow, with a reserve of patience greater than that which most folks, myself included, would likely muster and maintain in assemblages such as tonight’s.

“This annexation, if approved, will be revenue neutral,” Mike said. “This move would not make a dime for Burien, nor cost Burien a dime. In that sense, financially, annexation as proposed would be a wash.”

Mike said this several times, not because he is a repetitive person, or one who forgets what he just said, or loves the sound of his voice.

The reason Mike said this more than once is because it is the truth and because some in the audience either weren’t listening or suffer from CDS (Chronic Disbelief Syndrome).

With respect to emergency services, I think it’s pretty clear that the King County Sheriff’s Office works quite smoothly with local police departments.

And for Pete’s sake, does anyone really think the good men and women of any Fire Department would indeed fail to respond to an emergency because it’s occurring a block or two beyond a city boundary? Of course this won’t be allowed to happen.

The only things that should be left to helplessly smolder are the scare tactics of some and the ignorant fears of a few others.

Scott, I know you were looking for a Wake ‘Em Up in The Morning Headline, but frankly, I think the temporary withdrawal of the annexation request is a wise, brief and prudent move.

Perhaps the headline for this report should be: Extra! Extra! Sometimes Truth is Dull.

Well, gotta go, Scottso. Somewhere sits a PBS station ready to roll tape on Barack and Michelle and those two cute kids of theirs.

We just got an exclusive response from Burien Mayor Joan McGilton on this entire annexation withdrawal issue, and here’s the latest:

First, a snippet from Seattle Councilmember Richard Conlin as quoted on another Seattle-based blog:

“…unless Burien is prepared to make significant change in its proposal…” 

Mayor Joan’s reaction to Mr. Conlin’s statement:

“Burien has consistently acknowledged the role Seattle has in the proposed annexation of the North Highline Area. Seattle chooses to not negotiate directly with Burien.  The City of Seattle’s Position Statement filed with the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County filed on August 18, 2008 clearly misinterprets Burien actions to move forward with annexation.

In the best interests of all parties, Burien chooses to withdraw its current request so that the Boundary Review Board can focus on the merits of annexation rather than on the procedural and legal issues.

Burien wishes to take the “high road” and have our neighbors to the north ask the probing questions so that when this comes to a vote, they are truly informed of the actions that are in their best interest as a community.”

We’ll have a full report from tonight’s Annexation Open House, which will surely provide more quotes and controversy in this ongoing political chess match of words, so please check back later or subscribe to our RSS feed for up-to-date news.

 

Just got off the phone with Gordon Shaw, Burien native and City Councilmember, who offered up this exclusive, yet rather fiery quote about the North Highline/White Center annexation withdrawal political game currently being played out between Burien and Seattle:

“The efforts Burien has made so far have been stymied by Seattle and King County to a certain degree because of preference for Seattle to annex North Highline.

But clearly Seattle is not ready to do it.

To oppose Burien’s annexation efforts on the substance of annexation is one thing, but to oppose it on procedure that we all know is going to change in 30 days is bullshit!” 

For more fiery talk, including what’s sure to be a lively interactive question and answer session, you can come to tonight’s Annexation Open House at 6:30pm at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church (see map below).

It appears that the political war of words is just starting folks, so stay tuned.

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UPDATE 8/28/10:30am: Tonight’s Annexation Open House is still scheduled to occur starting at 6:30pm at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church (located at 1822 South 128th Street in SeaTac), despite the fact that Burien is temporarily withdrawing its annexation request.

Here’s a quote from Jenn Ramirez-Robinson, Management Analyst at the Burien City Manager’s Office:

“In brief, the City of Burien has withdrawn its current request to annex a portion of North Highline but plans to re-file later this year.

We are still committed to the annexation process and will continue to do educational open houses in the North Highline Area, including the Open House tonight at 6:30 PM at the Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church.”

We are currently investigating why the city is withdrawing now, only to re-file “later this year.”

Rest assured, tonight’s Open House should be even more interesting, especially with this latest development.

Here’s the press release from the City of Burien website:

Burien Withdraws North Highline Annexation Request

The City of Burien has notified the Boundary Review Board of King County that it is withdrawing its current request to annex the southern portion of the North Highline unincorporated area.  The City plans to re-file an annexation request later this year after completion of a new round of negotiations with King County and the cities of SeaTac and Seattle regarding the proposed annexation boundary.

The Burien City Council authorized submittal of the “Notice of Intent” to annex part of North Highline in May 2008.  The Notice of Intent was filed with the Boundary Review Board in late June after the approval of new countywide planning policies allowing the annexation request to proceed.  The timing of Burien’s filing was challenged by the City of Seattle and the North Highline Fire District on legal grounds.

“In the interest of having the community and the Boundary Review Board focus on the merits of annexation rather than upon procedural and legal issues, we believe that it is in the best interest of the parties for the City to withdraw its current Notice of Intent,” said Mike Martin, Burien’s city manager.

The delay in the annexation process allows the cities and County to meet to discuss substantive issues related to annexation, including providing adequate urban services within annexed portions of North Highline and any remaining unincorporated area.

“We’ve tried to get Seattle to the table for almost a year to resolve these issues but they have been  unwilling to meet with us,” Martin explained.  “For whatever reason, they’ve changed their mind now and  appear willing to talk. We wish for the sake of the North Highline residents Seattle would have come to that conclusion sooner, but better late than never.”

Now, for the first time, Burien is able to consider the specific and detailed concerns of the North Highline Fire District that were filed with the Boundary Review Board.  While the City of Burien has no authority over the current or future operations of the fire district, “we will encourage the North Highline and Burien/Normandy Park fire districts to resolve their differences in the interest of providing quality services in the areas they serve,” said Martin.

The City has offered to start negotiations immediately, with the goal of reaching a successful resolution of issues by the end of the year.  Martin added, “Our City values trust, integrity, communication and collaboration.  It is in this spirit that we are ready to take one step back in order to help our neighbors in North Highline move many steps forward.”

Seattle Magazine just posted a very positive feature story on Burien (complete with photo essay), with mentions of The Tin Room, Australian Pie Company, Elliott Bay Brewery, The Mark and many more.

Here’s an excerpt:

Forget the South King County Jokes; Why You Should Head to Burien

Just south of Seattle, nestled between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Puget Sound, is Burien, one of the area’s oldest, longest-established communities. Any town with a 100-plus-year history is apt to have tales to tell, and Burien does: It languished for decades after Southcenter Mall, built in nearby Tukwila in the late ’60s, lured shoppers away and forced local business owners to close their doors. Several years ago, though, a trickle of new establishments set up shop in the historic shopping district of Burien along SW 152nd Street and ushered in a fresh generation of merchants and restaurateurs. Now, this friendly destination burg brims with charming boutiques and eateries, with more to come: a $200 million town square, which, when completed in 2010, will offer more stores and restaurants as well as a grassy, 1-acre park, library and city hall. 

Full story here.

According to The Seattle Times, Sound Transit is back on schedule to open its Tukwila airport station by Dec. 29, 2009.

Previously, a federal oversight report claimed that the station’s completion “will be delayed until the second quarter of 2010.”

When that report was released, Sound Transit did not have a detailed schedule for completing the station, and there was doubt as to whether communications systems would be ready for the entire 16-mile line that runs from downtown Seattle to the airport.

During the summer of 2009, trains should start traveling to the Tukwila station. Airport travelers will be able to board shuttle buses to the terminal until the main airport station is completed.

SOURCE:

• The Seattle Times

The City of Burien will be holding a series of informational open houses, at various locations, to answer questions about what annexation will mean for the people within the proposed annexation area.

This is a great opportunity for area residents to investigate what the City of Burien’s plans are, ask questions of city officials and determine the impact that annexation might have on your lives.

The first open house is coming up Thursday, Aug. 28th:

WHEN: Thursday, August 28, 2008 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church, 1822 South 128th Street

Format:

• There will be a presentation followed by a Question and Answer session.
• Refreshments will be provided.
• Supervised play activities for children will be available
• Interpreter services can be arranged if requested in advance

Download a pdf version of the flyer for the Open House.

More info at the City of Burien website.

MAP:

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The Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County will be holding a meeting on the proposed annexation of the “North Highline” area on Tues, Sept. 2nd at 7pm at Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd in Seattle (see map below).

As always, the meeting is open to the public.

There proposed annexation area can be seen here:

Here’s the official notice via the King County website:

WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY

YESLER BUILDING, ROOM 240		400 YESLER WAY		SEATTLE , WA 98104
PHONE: 206.296.6800			TTY: 206.296.1024

CITY OF BURIEN – NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION – FILE NO. 2281

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY will hold a public hearing at the hour of 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. If required Thursday, September 4, 2008 has also been set aside. The hearing will take place at the Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd, Seattle, WA. The Hearing Room/Building is located behind the main building of the Inn. The purpose of the hearing is to consider proposed annexation to the City of Burien of an area known as “North Highline” all in King County, Washington.

To reclassify certain Real Property lying northerly of the City of Burien and the City of Sea-Tac City Limits, lying easterly of the City of Seattle City Limits, lying westerly of the City of Tukwila City Limits, lying southerly of SW ll2th St., SW 116th St., South 107th St, and described as all or portions of Section 1 and Section 2, Township 23N. Range 3E and Sections 4 through 9, Township 23N, Range 4E, W.M., all in King County, Washington.

A COMPLETE LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS ON FILE AND AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD.

The Boundary Review Board conducts all meetings and hearings in locations that are wheelchair accessible. Any person requiring other disability accommodations or special assistance should contact the Boundary Review Board staff at least two business days prior to the meeting.

The Boundary Review Board telephone is 206-296-6800. For TTY telephone services. please call 711.

Each request for accommodations or assistance will be considered individually according to the type of request, the availability of resources and the financial ability of the Board to provide the requested services or equipment.

DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 21st day of July 2008.

WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY
REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY

Lenora Blauman
Executive Secretary

Map to Riverside Residences Inn:

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