Madison Park Times 12-01-20

DECEMBER 2020 facebook.com/MadisonParkTimes

Serving East-Central Seattle since 1983

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Featured Stories

Letters to the editor Page 3

An ‘eco-musical’ Page 7

Photo by Jessica Keller Octavia Chambliss (from left), Octavia Chambliss Garden Design, Noah Kriegsmann, NK Build, and Madison Park resident Gene Brandzel stand by the sign in the Prospect Street Nature Preserve in Madison Park in November. While creating the preserve was Brandzel’s brainchild, Chambliss landscaped the project and Kriegsmann carved the sign.

A complete transformation Madison Park nature preserve finished

Property Views REAL ESTATE Page 1

KNOWLEDGE MATTERS

NORTH C APITOL HILL CONTEMPOR ARY

By Jessica Keller

Madison Park Times editor Almost two years ago former Madison Park resident Gene Brandzel set his sights on transforming an ugly patch of land at a street end on Prospect Street into property that Seattle residents could enjoy.ow, the flora is planted and the sign installed marking the Prospect Street Nature Preserve in Madison Park complete.

The preserve, a swath of land tucked in between the north boundary of the Seattle Tennis Club and residences on 41st Street East and Prospect Street, was created by volunteers and the City of Seattle but spearheaded by Brandzel. He got the idea in late 2018, and the first work party took place April 27 of 2019. In early November of this year, the sign, created by wood worker Noah Kriegsmann, was installed.

“So really it was my idea that it was

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2

December 2020

Revisiting the Park: Take a left turn at COVID

By Richard Carl Lehman

W

hat the … this is getting really old. Up until today, we’d seen gatherings inside and out with the proper social distancing, but now it’s back to square one. Let’s hope we knock it out of the park in time for Christmas happenings (within reason).

In the mornings we have Starbucks, Madison Kitchen and Madison Park Bakery providing fresh coffee and baked goods. In the evenings perhaps a cocktail is in order at the many fine establishments. It’s all there for us to take advantage of in our villa by the sea even though we may look like masked riders.

The decade of the ’40s is so long ago, but many remember restrictions like this because of World War II. After a Saturday matinee, we were allowed to peruse Seattle proper, but we had to avoid one area: First Avenue. Apparently, it was rather unseemly in those days. When you tell your youth not to do something, the question becomes how bad could First Avenue be?

Disobeying orders, we traversed the area and found lots of taverns with loud people dancing and laughing. There was a fist fight just like in the movies, but still unlike the movies in that when struck real hard, the guy didn’t just turn his head and fight on. In

reality, we saw a guy get hit in the chops, fly the width of the sidewalk onto a car and slide down to the ground limply. But this wasn’t the reason for the avenue being off limits.

We walked south on First, our goal being Warshal’s Sporting Goods store, when a tall, attractive lady walked by us smiling and leaving behind a lingering perfume. We almost fell when watching her walk away. But this still was not the reason for our parents not wanting us on this street.

Suddenly, we could hear music and sounds of all kinds accompanied by flashing lights: It was the penny arcade. Obliged to check this out, we wandered about the machines toward the rear of the building and found a girly show

playing! Aha! This commanded our every wit. Atop the machines were two eye viewers. Since there were three of us, we had to share a one-eyed view. After plunking in a dime and turning the handle, a young girl in the machine looked at us! The image stopped moving just before it got “really good!” A disclaimer read, “Deposit another dime!” Several dimes later, we realized this disrobing thing was taking way too long. Why does that seem to jibe with women in general taking so long to get ready?

Making our way to Warshal’s we passed more taverns and tempting pawn shops that sold many used items that were way too much for our pocketbooks.

Inside Warshal’s we realized this

was going to be fun — we were in the right place. Before us was row after row of stuff. On one aisle there was a big basket filled with Bolo knives and wearable sheaths for $1. They were about two feet long and meant to cut underbrush (mostly dull). They looked good hanging from our belts, and we used them to build lean-to’s in the Canterbury forest.

Through the years we bought mariner suits, four-man rubber rafts and just about all of our ski gear for around $100. We skied all day, and knowing the lift operator we continued into the night.

It was topped off with thawing frozen jeans and jackets by the fireplace.

During ski season we couldn’t afford all the ski and sled accessories, but if we crushed in the handles on aluminum garbage can lids, they made perfect sleds. One time, we climbed the barbed-wire fence of Broadmoor and sled on the golf course in our less than fashionable garb. We really made speed and yelled at skiers to “watch out!” to which they replied, “You’re ruining our tracks!” Soon others showed up with sleds, and it was all good.

As we all know, when it snows, no one can leave the Park. Years ago, people stood in line at the pay phone in front of the drug store to call the office, “Can’t make it over Madison. The buses are stuck sideways on the road!”

Of course, these callers had tight grips on skis and poles. Leaving the gear outside the Red Onion, these crusaders stepped in to fuel up for a day of skiing and sledding the steep hills around. East Lee was one of the best to hit.

After closing time at the taverns, we trudged up to 38th. Two guys at the bottom signaled us with flashlights that no cars were coming, and it was safe to take the run. The street was covered with snow on a sheet of ice. A friend and I piloted a small sled down 38th to 43rd, where we turned and plowed into a seldom-used street and came to a complete stop. What a rush! It’s always best to keep a sled in the center of a street to keep from running into parked cars. Let’s pray for snow and meet at the top of 38th!

All of these things were important to us. It gave us a chance to escape whatever restrictions were upon us.

There’s something to be said about a small neighborhood such as ours. COVID-19 makes for “house-atosis” and a real need to socialize. In the early morning, any offer of fresh coffee and treats invites a meeting of like-minded folks. In the evenings it is possible to meet for cocktails even if it’s under a tent in rainy, cold weather and/or maybe Zoom.

It is all a big boost to our morale, and under those masks, there are smiles.

40th annual

PHINNEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION’S

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December 2020

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We Wish All Of Our Neighbors A Very Happy Holiday Season!

Give the gift of a donation this year directly to the Center We thank the Community for supporting our recent Fundraiser and ongoing support MLK Fame Community Center 3201 East Republican Street, Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 257-5572 | www.mlkfame.com | mlkcommunitycenter@gmail.com

Seattle’s K-8 Jesuit Parish School

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206.329.3260 www.stjosephsea.org Teaching students how to seek more of themselves through the process of experience, reflection and action.

3

I love this community, and I’m relaying messages from Madison Park senior citizens.

COVID-19 is spiking, and it’s vital for our most vulnerable residents that we wear masks correctly, keep social distancing and not gather so we slow the spread.

Several seniors have told me that it’s hard for them to be heard speaking through their masks. They don’t feel comfortable speaking up to the people making deliveries or moving quickly near them in stores who are not wearing their masks correctly and are coming within 6 feet.

They request that I (and other strong-voiced Boomers and youngsters) do not hesitate to ask others to pull their mask over their nose or remind them to keep 6 feet of distance in businesses.

Some are grieving the loss of loved ones to COVID-19 and can’t travel to out-of-state funerals.

Our neighborhood, like America, has diverse and, at times, polarized political beliefs.

One senior overheard people doubting the severity of COVID-19 publicly, and I can’t imagine how it must feel to our grieving neighbors that some folks do not take this pandemic seriously.

Regardless of who you voted for, please be a thoughtful neighbor: Smile with your eyes, and keep

PRESERVE, FROM PAGE 1 something that we could do in the neighborhood that would help the environment and also get rid of something of an eye sore and garbage dump,” Brandzel said.

In the first and subsequent work parties, Brandzel said volunteers cleared out 17 truckloads of blackberries, ivy and clematis — all invasive species — and lots of garbage, including car fenders, bumpers, batteries and approximately 65 bags of bottles and 300 tennis balls.

“They worked so hard to get it clear,” Brandzel said.

Before the city limited the size of work parties, volunteers came from throughout Seattle to help.

A fair number came from Starbucks, Brandzel said.

“At one point, we had 30 to 35 people there at the same time,” Brandzel said. “So we just got an enormous amount done when we could have those size parties.”

When it came time to plant, Brandzel worked with local landscaper Octavia Chambliss, of Octavia Chambliss Garden Design, with whom he had partnered on a nearby beaver sanctuary a couple years ago. He said Chambliss was critical in the completion of the nature preserve. She worked with Omar Akkari, Seattle Department of Transportation Waterfront Street End coordinator, in choosing the plants and designing the landscaping. She also purchased the plants and the trees.

Brandzel estimates $10,000 was raised to buy the plants and trees for the preserve. While volunteers planted the majority of the smaller plants, Chambliss’s landscaping crew installed all the trees. Instead of planting saplings, Chambliss and her team installed more mature trees, and big enough to require know-how.

In early October, after the city

your mask over your nose.

I, myself, am from South Carolina, where many people doubted COVID-19 was real, and my mother is very ill there with COPD. This will be my first Christmas separated from her. I’m one of nine, and she postponed Christmas for our family with insistence that we will put a tree up when it’s safe in spring or summer of 2021 to make up for the holiday. She and I talk on the phone every day, and she is mailing me my favorite Christmas ornaments to ease the distance.

Inspired by her grateful perspective and how lovely it feels to share gratitude and grief, I created something for our neighborhood.

It’s called the Gratitude and Grievance line, 206376-6817, a place for you to leave a voicemail about something that made your day or frustrated you.

Leave your name and number if you would like me to call you back, but remaining anonymous is OK, too.

I’ll see you as a newly minted cashier in Bert’s.

Please have patience with me as I learn a million checkout codes! Please note that many holiday spices and popular items are not available from suppliers.

COVID-19 causes very unpredictable shortages,

SEE LETTERS, PAGE 4

prohibited large work parties, Chambliss’ staff planted the last round of foliage, comprised of 220 plants and six trees, for a grand total of 818 plants and 37 trees.

Chambliss said almost everything planted in the nature preserve is native to Washington.

“The City of Seattle really recommends that you use native plants that can kind of adapt to the surroundings,” she said.

Trees including shore pines, vine maples and Western dogwood make up the canopy, while the understory, or vegetation under the trees, include ferns, currants and flowered plants.

“All the plants and trees are now planted,” Brandzel said.

“There really isn’t any room for more.”

After about 10 months of total work, Brandzel, Chambliss and Noah Kriegsmann, a local wood craftsman, gathered in early November for the last step of the project: installation of the sign Kriegsmann carved out of locally salvaged Western walnut and donated to the project.

While the nature preserve is approximately 11,000 square feet, the entire area up to the waterfront is about 16,200.

“I figure that this place is [worth] at least $17 million, but it’s going to be all for the benefit of the community,” Brandzel joked.

While the heavy lifting is finished and the site developed, a couple of questions remain regarding the future of the nature preserve.

Initially, SDOT had planned on installing an irrigation system at the site, Brandzel said, but that was postponed after COVID-19.

To make sure the new plants and trees survived over the summer, Brandzel and Chambliss spent 14 to 15 hours a week hand-watering the foliage with 125 feet of hose

and water supplied by the neighboring tennis club.

“It was a heck of a job, so I really hope that SDOT is able to put in the irrigation system,” he said.

Fortunately, Brandzel said the Prospect Street Nature Reserve doesn’t require any work this winter. All the weeding and preparation for the winter was completed during the last round of planting.

Maintenance will have to resume in about April when the weeds, blackberries, clematis and ivy volunteers couldn’t completely remove come back. The preserve will require additional weeding and watering twice more next year, likely in July and October.

“Right now, the real challenge is going to be maintenance, and until we can have work parties again of any size, it’s really necessary for us to get outside help in maintaining the facility,” Brandzel said.

“In order to do that, it’s going to take dollars.”

A Go Fund Me account has already been set up for the site, with a new fundraising goal of $5,000, which Brandzel estimates would be enough to pay for a year’s worth of maintenance and other expenses.

Even with the uncertainty about irrigation and maintenance, Brandzel is pleased with the Prospect Street Nature Reserve.

“When we started the project, many skeptics in the neighborhood told us that it would take 10 years to complete the project,” Brandzel said in an email. “We all did it, together, in 10 months, not years. The preserve has become an important oasis for the renewal of spirit of many residents of our community in these COVID times.”

To contribute to the Prospect Street Nature Preserve, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/ prospect-preserve.

4

December 2020

Members wanted for Design Review Boards

The City of Seattle is looking for applicants to serve on its various Design Review Boards, including the central and east boards.

Design Review Board members evaluate the design of new buildings and make recommendations based on citywide and neighborhood-specific guidelines, according to an announcement.

According to the city’s announcement, candidates should be “professionals in the design and development fields who have proven skills and established careers.” The city is also seeking community and business leaders “interested in civic engagement and shaping new development in their neighborhoods.”

To be considered, people should send an application, cover letter and resume to Lisa Rutzick, lisa. rutzick@seattle.gov, by Dec. 31. The new terms will begin in April of 2021.

To download an application, go to http://www. seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDCI/About/ DesignReviewBoardApplication.pdf, or email Rutzick.

Emailed applications are preferred, but they can be mailed to: Lisa Rutzick, Design Review Program Manager, City of Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, 700 Fifth Ave., Suite 2000, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019.

If selected, people should expect to work approximately 15 hours a month preparing for and attending meetings, which take place twice a month in the evenings. Board members should plan to attend at least 90 percent of the meetings.

For more information about the Design Review Boards and applicant qualifications, go to http:// www.seattle.gov/sdci/about-us/who-we-are/designreview.

Editorial: Listen to residents’ concerns about development

M

aybe if we were chickens, PCC Community Markets would reconsider its involvement in the City Peoples development that was recently green-lighted by Seattle Department of Construction & Inspection.

City People’s Garden Store on Madison Street is scheduled for demolition, to be replaced by a multi-story, mixed-use building that will include 82 residential market rate apartments, a parking garage for 140 parking spaces and a 25,000-foot PCC supermarket.

Madison is a commercial street. Great spot for a business (like our beloved garden store). But the traffic impact of a supermarket on this narrow patch of city street promises perpetual congestion for vehicles and high risk for pedestrians and bicyclists. The impact to the surrounding Madison Valley neighborhood is devastating.

It has become painfully clear over these four years tracking this development that the city sees its role as a facilitator of the developer’s vision. Independent monitoring is absent. As we at Save Madison Valley and the greater community have provided that independent voice, bringing in respected professionals who have voiced credible concerns (or, as we like to call it, “doing the city’s job”), the city has treated this as an unwelcome intrusion. Simply put, the city is not regulating development. Regulations are used to guide developers in how to present their paperwork. Real concerns from the public are treated as backward-thinking grumblings from self-interested irritants, allowing issues raised by the community to be disregarded out of hand. Sadly, this behavior is not unique to this development.

Which brings us back to the chickens.

In 2019, PCC committed to the “most rigorous green building standard” in the construction industry.

It became the first grocery store in the world to pursue Living Building Challenge Petal Certification.

From the PCC website: “The intent of the Place Petal is to realign how people understand and relate to the natural environment that sustains us. The

LETTERS, FROM PAGE 3 but it cannot dim the community spirit of Madison Park. May God bless each and every one of you, and please be gentle with yourself as we finish this difficult year.

P.S. My dog found a ring on the beach, and I’m eager to return it. Please call and leave a message describing it if you are missing one, 206-376-6817.

Lauren Moore, Madison Park

More needs to be done to help vulnerable students this year

The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the Washington education system could last generations.

Most students are being kept out

human-built environment must reconnect with the deep story of place and the unique characteristics found in every community so that story can be honored, protected and enhanced.”

PCC’s sustainable building goals attest that projects may be built only on “greyfields,” seas of empty asphalt concrete or “brownfields,” land previously used for industrial or commercial purposes.

But wait! Madison Valley is a greenfield! It is a thriving, vibrant community. The 14,500-square-feet tree canopy, scheduled to be clear cut, is home to bugs, birds and critters. The canopy cools in summer and sheds its leaves to let in sunlight in winter. It’s what makes our valley healthy and livable. It’s the neighborhood short cut to the Washington Park Arboretum. The P-Patch grows flowers and vegetables year round.

PCC, your involvement in this project flies in the face of everything for which you stand. In your own words, from your own stated mission, you assure your patrons and the community at large that no new project will be built anywhere but on brownfields or greyfields! To repeat, Madison Valley is a thriving, vibrant community, not brownfields or greyfields!

And we’re back to the chickens.

PCC, you do appear committed to the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of the chickens that you market. From a recent newsletter: “At PCC, we believe the way humans treat farm animals is integral to our own general well-being and the health of our planet. We believe all farm animals must have ample space indoors and out to express behaviors natural to their species. This means birds have room to stretch their wings, dust-bathe, perch and nest.”

PCC, we are appealing to you. Consider us chickens if being human isn’t enough. There’s still time to honor, protect and enhance our neighborhood.

There’s still time to save Madison Valley!

Jane Nichols and Melissa Stoker Save Madison Valley

of their classrooms in hopes it keeps them safe, and our individual educators are trying to keep them engaged in the curriculum during virtual learning. However, we need to be doing even more this year to make sure every student succeeds.

Data shows the national high school dropout rate in the United States is a little over 5 percent when students are in a traditional learning environment. Experts predict the dropout rate will exponentially increase this year because of factors like the lack of wifi, the home environment or other outside elements that affect our most vulnerable students.

Seattle Public Schools should supplement the current student resources available with programs that target our at-risk students,

such as Graduation Alliance’s Dropout Recovery Program. A program such as that provides students with individualized outreach, on-going support through an academic coach, and additional resources they need and may not have access to at home during remote learning. Superintendent Denise Juneau can help our most vulnerable students, who will benefit the most, stay in school by implementing such a program.

The 2020 school year is far from normal, which means we can’t expect the existing programs we already have in place to suffice. We need to implement new and innovative ways to protect our youth from dropping out of school and to keep them engaged in the education system.

Ann Davison, Wedgwood

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Bert’s Red Apple Market is Madison Park’s own Farmers Market

Holiday Shopping List Fresh Produce Everyday!

Bert’s Fresh Deli:

• Assorted holiday Pies.

• Customized Party Trays. Fresh Bakery Items.

“Bert’s Own” • Homemade DIPS and PARTY APPETIZERS. • Great Specialty Cheese Selections.

Bert’s Meat Department:

Cooked & Ready to serve full Holiday Dinners • Turkey, Prime Rib, Hams

“Bert’s Own”

• Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

• Sage Stuffing • Crandery Sauce.

• Please observe 6-foot distancing while shopping. This will enable us to stay within the Washington State grocery store 25% occupany recommendations.

• We may close Tuesday and Friday mornings to accommodate restocking the shelves.

• Safer shopping for higher risk customers is best in the AM hours.

• Providing a safe environment for our customers and employees is paramount.

• We appreciate your patience and considerations during these times.

Bert’s Famous Roasted Turkeys Call in to order 206.322.1330 Store Hours: EVERYDAY 7am–10pm 1801 41st Ave. E. BertsRedApple.com

December 2020

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6

December 2020

Welcome to your home in Seattle

By Chris Sudore Editor’s Note: In December, the Queen Anne & Magnolia News and Madison Park Times released our Annual Manual, featuring different aspects and points of view about Seattle. This column, written by real estate broker Chris Sudore, is an extension of the Annual Manual that we are proud to feature in our regular publications.

A

s we settle into 2021, the comforts of home have new meaning. After a year filled with pandemic-related disruptions, political demonstrations and unrest, having a haven may be more important than ever before.

The good news is there’s a wide variety of housing in the Seattle real estate market, whether you’re looking to buy or rent. The job market has helped insulate the area from the economic dips the rest of the country experienced — many of the region’s workforce has been able to work remotely.

Even if offices are closed or working with reduced staff, people are still making money and have it to spend. That’s all good news on the real estate front.

A look back, and forward Usually, the Seattle real estate market is predictable. Sure, some years are hotter than others, but there’s a reliable rhythm to a year.

Things start to pick up in February, then take off from March to mid-June. By the beginning of summer, people are traveling on vacation, enjoying being outside, and generally not selling or buying homes at the same rate we experience in the spring market.

Then there’s a burst of activity in September and October, as folks want to be in new places by the holidays or close by the end of the year.

In 2020, COVID blew that up.

We were in a typical spring market that was really heating up: We were on a pace for the busiest year in recent history. Then the lockdowns began. All that pent-up activity exploded when we were once again allowed to show and sell homes in June through the

normally slower summer. It was everywhere: people moving within the city, people moving into more suburban areas to the east, and a strong second-home market on Bainbridge, Vashon Island and throughout the San Juan chain.

With many working and learning remotely, those more remote locations are popular.

Take a look around If you’re a first-time buyer in the Seattle real estate market, be prepared to get scrappy. Things will move fast, and if you’re relocating from a region with a less-competitive real estate market, there are some things for which you should be prepared.

In a hot Seattle market, be ready to move quickly on a purchase.

We may experience bidding wars, price escalations and waived contingencies, especially for homes in the sweet spot of $1.5 million and below. You’ll be competing with buyers who sold their homes last fall, have ready cash to spend and need a place to land. If you’re financing, get all your documentation squared away.

On the rental side, there are available apartments and homes.

Prices are steady, but you may find you need to make competitive bids that go above the listed lease fees.

Those high rent prices, though, are leading people to do the math and figure out they may get better value from buying a similar or better property (mortgage rates are still super-low). You’ll pay less per month for the mortgage versus renting and begin to build equity in a new home.

Finding your place Within Seattle, our city’s neighborhoods offer different lifestyles and amenities. When looking for the right fit, ask yourself a few questions and share your questions and answers with your broker when looking at the options: • Do you want the promise of nightlife nearby when things can fully open up again?

• A quieter area, near a particular school?

• Do you need an outdoor

space of your own?

What will your commute look like, assuming you go back to work soon?

• Are you by bus routes or the light rail?

Finding the right neighborhood means finding the right one for you. The light rail system’s expansion and Seattle’s great bus service makes using public transit simple from any neighborhood, when you’re ready.

Once the pandemic passes, for the promise of a nice walk to bars and restaurants with a lively entertainment scene, look in: • Ballard, it was named one of the top entertainment neighborhoods in the United State.

• Capitol Hill (the CHAZ has been dismantled, and the unrest has died down), which has a metropolitan, eclectic atmosphere.

• Fremont, where you’ll find tech workers and entrepreneurs mixing with local artists.

If you’re looking for a quieter lifestyle or more family-friendly neighborhoods, look to: • Madison Park • Queen Anne • Some parts of north Capitol Hill. There are walkable neighborhoods that feel like villages but are a quick drive downtown.

• West Seattle feels like its own bubble, though it’s only 10 minutes by car to downtown, and has trendy bars, restaurants and retail options.

First-time buyers looking to get the most for their money should look to Seward Park through Columbia City. There are some great values there.

Let the data be your guide — it’s what I do. If you see that one neighborhood has more properties available, you’ve got a better chance of scoring a home you love at a reasonable price.

The numbers will tell you where to look. If one street or block has comparable homes for sale, and there’s only one home available a few blocks over, focus on where the volume is to end up with a better deal.

•

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School days While most schools are still remote, being close to good schools is a driver for those with children, so it affects resale values even if you’re child-free. Look at the neighborhoods of Madison Park, Sand Point, Windermere and View Ridge. The elementary schools are rated from good to excellent, and the high schools are excellent. None of the Seattle middle schools are particularly well regarded, however. Many Seattle residents opt for private schools. You’ll find highly rated private schools in Madison Park, Madrona, Capitol Hill and North Seattle. The highest-rated public schools are across Lake Washington on the Eastside and on to Mercer Island.

Financial matters Most mortgage lenders advise that you can afford a property that’s priced two to three times your gross income. So determine how much you’re comfortable spending each month on housing, and set a budget.

Line up your financing before you make an offer on a home. Talk to a lender and get a pre-qualification letter that states how much you’re eligible to borrow. Keep in mind that there will be added fees and taxes when you actually get to the settlement table to buy your new home, typically around 3 percent of the purchase price.

Call in a pro Researching neighborhoods and homes online will bring up a lot of information, so much so that it can be overwhelming. You need someone you trust to help. Nothing makes a bigger difference in your home-buying experience — from finding a home that may not be on the market yet to getting

the best possible deal — than working with the right broker.

Look for experience. Finding a seasoned broker is a little harder right now because so many people got their real estate licenses during our hot markets. In a seller’s market, you don’t have to know a lot to sell houses. And here’s the truth: All you have to do to have your photo and contact information next to a listing on sites like Zillow is to pay for it. That broker who appears on the right sidebar may never have even seen the home on that page or know anything about the neighborhood it is in.

Look for local knowledge. I’m in the minority as a Seattle native.

Far more people move here than have grown up here. I know the city and surrounding area and can help pinpoint the right neighborhood or suburban town for my clients with a few questions. I also know what that hyper-local market is like, so we can get searching right away.

You want the brokers who’ve succeeded during tough times; they’re the ones who know how to get things done. We’ve all heard it: Past behavior is the best predictor of future performance.

Seattle is a great place to live.

Our economy, diversity and cultural vibrance combined with amazing natural resources and recreation create a quality of life that’s unique. People want to live and work here. So our housing market is strong, and this spring looks to be heating up again. It’s time to get ready to find your new place to call home.

Chris Sudore KingCountyEstates.com Chris@KingCountyEstates.com Managing Broker Coldwell Banker Bain | Global Luxury

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December 2020

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times

7

QA woman turns love of musical theater into quarantine project

By Jessica Keller

Madison Park Times editor Like many people during the COVID-19 quarantine, Victoria Campbell did what many others did while sheltering away from others: She took up a new project.

The Queen Anne resident, who is currently living in Switzerland while her husband is on assignment there for his job, turned her love for musical theater and concern for the environment into a complete stage production.

It turns out, quarantine is a good time to write musicals.

“People need time to think and time to reflect and time to just process our thoughts, and people don’t have the chance to realize their potential when you don’t have the time to think,” Campbell said.

With a 100-page script and 20 songs, “Treeson: An Eco-Musical” tells the journey of a young man, Ash, who becomes dissatisfied working for his father’s unethical logging company. While searching for a new purpose, he meets Terra, an environmentalist who is trying to save the planet.

“The story I wanted to tell was a story of hope and inspiration to change and act,” Campbell said.

She said her main character, Ash, is based on many millenials.

“The millenial generation has high standards for themselves,” she said, adding many milleni-

als are not motivated by money or vacations, but want to support bigger societal goals, such as fighting for the environment.

Part of Campbell’s inspiration came from her best friend, who works for the Environmental Protection Agency and is very passionate about saving the planet.

“The takeaway is I believe climate change is real, and the environment is in distress, and people need to find ways to play their part and help heal the planet,” she said.

Campbell started the project at the beginning of lockdown, in March or April, when the inspiration hit. She had been doing a lot of “doom scrolling,” and in the midst of all the bad news, Campbell found her silver lining in the environment: With so many people staying in doors and their daily activities altered, pollution was decreasing, and wildlife had a chance to come out again.

With an idea percolating, Campbell soon found her voice, and the words just came out, she said. Her process started with journaling, which turned into poems and then songs, and she noticed an ecological theme had emerged.

“I consider it a love story between humanity and the earth, a love story and a call to action: What are we going to do to make the earth a better place,” Campbell said.

Her decision to turn her songs

into musical theater was fairly easy. Campbell has a background in psychology but had been working in human resources. She said she wanted to pursue something musical while in Switzerland.

“I consider myself a musical theater consumer,” she said. “I’ve seen probably 50 to 60 shows in my life. I have a fondness and appreciation for musical theater.”

Still, creating a musical set for stage is a big production, which Campbell likened to “planning a wedding times a thousand.”

Because she has no experience in musical theater, Campbell has collaborated with a lot of professionals in Europe. After she wrote the script and the songs, she then recorded the lyrics and the baseline melody into her computer and hired an arranger to help with the orchestration. She has also reached out to many actors over the internet and through social media sites to gauge their interest in recording the songs.

Once she is satisfied with the album, Campbell would like to have a stage reading in either Zurich or London and is raising money and looking for investors to accomplish this. Her ultimate goal is to have “Treeson” performed on Broadway or the West End in London.

While the initial reception for “Treeson” has been positive, Campbell knows a lot of things must happen before she sees her musical performed in a profes-

Photo courtesy Victoria Campbell Queen Anne resident Victoria Campbell has used her time quarantined in Switzerland to create a musical theater production, ‘Treeson: An Eco-Musical.’ sional setting.

Campbell is also not content to end her musical theater pursuits when the final curtain falls on “Treeson.” She would like to step away from the corporate world for good to pursue musical theater full time. Campbell already has

ideas about future projects and collaborations in the works. She also wants to attend development workshops to refine her skills.

To learn more about “Treeson: An Eco-Musical” or listen to some of the songs, go to treesonmusical.com.

Munchie Myths and Facts What causes the munchies?

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Cannabis has a wide array of effects on the body, ranging from making you feel relaxed, to giving you bloodshot eyes and mouth dryness.. One of the more interesting effects is making you feel really hungry. So, what is it that cannabis does to your brain and body that makes you want to keep eating?

Let’s look at the science behind what causes the munchies, and some of the best foods to eat after you’ve gotten stoned.

THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, modulates specific neurotransmitters, called POMC (proopiomelanocortin) neurons, which control important physiological functions, such as sleep, mood, appetite, and heart rate. POMC neurons typically send out a chemical signal to tell your brain when you’re full. In mice that were given THC, the THC turns off adjacent cells that are supposed to tell POMC neurons to slow-down.

So, activity of these neurons actually increases. Interestingly, the THC was also found to trigger a POMC neuron receptor which signals the brain to produce endorphins responsible for increasing appetite.

So, to explain it more simply: THC modulatesan important group of appetite-controlling neurons in the brain in a way that increases the desire to eat through the release of endorphins.

Additionally, THC activates and stimulates receptors in the olfactory bulb, which is the part of the brain that registers smell. The heightened sense of smell also corresponds to a heightened sense of taste. These elevated senses are believed to

contribute to the desire to eat more food, simply because it is more enjoyable. Anyone who has suffered from an insatiable case of the munchies knows that delving into a craveable snack is especially satisfying while high. As it turns out, the reason it’s more satisfying is because you can literally perceive the flavors and smells of the food better than normal.

These two effects combine, first prompting hunger by releasing endorphins that induce appetite, and second prolonging appetite increase through heightened sense of taste and smell. POMC neurons cause you to start craving a big bag of Doritos, while the olfactory bulb is what inspires the motivation to finish the entire bag. It’s truly a double-whammy.

Not all cannabis is equal, however, and some varieties of cannabis can actually suppress appetite. Yup, that’s right. One of the most notorious appetite-suppressing cannabinoids is THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin).

THCV is similar, molecularly, to THC, it has many of the same psychoactive properties, however, THCV has been shown to suppress appetite in limited studies.There hasn’t been as much research on the effects of THCV (mostly due to lack of funding for scientific research). Certain sativa strains are known for their energetic high that seldom accompany a munchie spell.

Durban Poison, one of the original cannabis strains from Africa, is a pure sativa with unusually high levels of THCV. Sativa strains, especially those like Durban Poison, are excellent choices for preventing the munchies and staving off appetite.

Want another trick to prevent the munchies? Eat beforehand, especially a filling food with sustenance. Anything that will “stick to your gut” so to speak, will help curb your appetite while you’re baked. If you’re already high, distraction is probably your best bet. Another weird trick is to brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth while high is extremely satisfying, and most people won’t want to eat after the feeling of brushing their teeth (it also helps to cure dry mouth).

If you’re already stoned, and dedicated to feeding your munchy cravings, here are some great foods you should consider eating: 1. Honey-roasted nuts. The sweet & salty combination is deeply satisfying to your tastebuds. Nuts pack-in the protein and useful minerals for a healthy snack.

2. Popcorn! It’s only junk food if you cover it in fatty butter and salt.

Otherwise, popcorn is a light snack with plenty of fiber!

3. Fruit (of any kind). Fruit is hydrating, which helps to tackle dry mouth, but the sweet flavors only become more enhanced when you’re high. Fruit is full of vitamins and antioxidants, which is a healthy and satisfying choice.

Certain foods taste way better when high, so getting stoned is also the perfect time to try healthier snacks that you often don’t like when sober.

Vegetables, like a juicy carrot, can have an especially refreshing crunch when you have dry mouth. And you can feel good about the boost to your diet!

Cody Funderburk

8

December 2020

live local, give local At Windermere we want to be leaders in Seattle’s post-pandemic resurgence. We know that the small businesses that make Seattle Seattle – local booksellers, restaurants, cafes, retail stores, photographers, artists and many others – need our support more than ever. As we shop for the holidays, we’re trying to influence each other’s gifting habits by supporting local businesses. We encourage you to do the same.

Together let’s show Seattle’s small businesses our appreciation and share the best gifts of the year and the season: gratitude and community.

All in, for Seattle small businesses.

All in, for community.

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