Kirkland Weblog

Do you DeRu?

You should.  What a cool little concept for a  neighborhood artisan market!   A few people have mentioned it to me, so I decided the seek them out.  You have to look carefully because I barely spotted DeRu Market when I was staring straight at it on 723 9th Ave, east of Market.  This  renovated space has an awesome kitchen where they focus mostly on catering and renting out their kitchen to other businesses, hosting corporate events and putting on cooking classes.  But lucky for us, they also have a daily take out menu for people like me that don't like to cook. 

Check out this custom made wood fire pizza oven. Their local organic menu changes frequently so check the website for the daily offering- when I was there they were serving up 4 different thin crust pizzas: margherita, chicken pesto, apple & arugula and chorizo.  They also have soups, sandwiches and salads along with some fun and always changing items from the deli case (chicken roulade, roasted baby carrots, roasted sunchokes perhaps?).  There is nowhere to sit down- but it's a great spot to call and pickup.  We had a meeting at our house the other night and didn't feel like dealing with dishes, so we ordered up some stuffed pork loin ($8/ea), skillet potatoes and onion ($4), and pizzas for the kids ($11-14/ea).  We told them we'd be there at 6:15 and Jordan (photo at top), one of the owners, had it all warmed up and ready to go.  Everything was delish, including the chocolate chubby cookie that I got to sample (oink oink).  

DeRu is open Weds-Fri 11-8pm and Sat 11-6pm.  Daily menus are on their website or it's easy to call 425-298-0268 and they will tell you what's cookin' for that day.    Go ahead and comment if you've given it a try. ~j

Why is PSE always picking on me?

It can't just be me.  So I'm throwing this out there at the risk of being a bad example because I am curious if EVERYONE gets that same letter from Puget Sound Energy declaring that they are terrible awful energy wasters.  Every quarter I dread opening the "home energy report" that tells me that I use 49% more energy than my neighbors, which is then illustrated in colored bar graphs and breakdowns by electricity and natural gas.  I also apparently used 74% more energy than my neighbors in the past 12 months- ack- shoot me now. Is this true?

Do they have to start name-calling?? PSE tells me here's what the "energy efficient" neighbors use, "all neighbors" use and then "YOU." It really is bold and capitalized like that so you feel like someone is pointing a finger at your nose.  REALLY?!  Although we are a family of 5 which means lots of laundry and dishes, we are also energy conscious (turning lights out, only running full loads, etc) and our recently remodeled and relatively small home has newer/energy efficient components.  We're good people- we recycle and do our best to lessen our environmental footprint.  But I think PSE keeps us on their whipping board.  Does anyone out there get a letter saying, "you are doing a fantastic job conserving energy! Way to go!" ?? I need to know. Maybe my kids are secretly sucking up energy when I'm not looking (we know they steal mine).

Kirkland Holiday Guide 2011

Once you have finished eating all of your Halloween candy and checked all the election results, you will realize that the holidays are quickly approaching (grinches, insert cringe here).  The darkness at 4:30 is a good indicator too.  I've decided that this is the season I am going to stay ahead of the curve and shop early.  For 2011 I will be a whirring machine of both thoughtfulness and efficiency that will be unmatched. By the way,I am addressing holiday cards with my toes as I type this post. 

 So, let's kick off this season with a gift for you! Tell me  your favorite thing to do in Kirkland during the holidays.  First five responses get a free prize!  aaahhh- giving feels so good.  Include your address b/c I will mail it to you. :-)

My next gift to share with all of you is my friend, Lacie Powell, who will be guest blogging with me through November and December.  We will team up and do a "Kirkland Holiday Series" of posts that will run every Thursday through the season. Don't worry, you'll still get my usual banter in between there too.  I wanted to be sure to be polite and introduce you to Lacie.... 

Lacie, these are the Kirkland Weblog readers.  They are smart and funny and like a good laugh and don't even mind my Jersey humor.  They ALL love Kirkland and they love to be in the know. They are also savvy and insightful andsometimes correct my spelling and grammar and send funny notes.   They are loyal and kind and will often reach out to share stories and info of their own.  You will really like them- I just know it.  A few of them even advertise with me which makes me feel like I'm appreciated (thank you!)

Kirkland Weblog readers, Lacie is a local lifestyling expert whose company, POSH by Lacie Powell, was born out of a passion for all things chic; fashion, events and home.  Lacie offers styling services to a discerning clientele whose crazed "rock star" lifestyle is matched by the desire for quality and resistance to sacrificing beauty and class just because life gets busy.  She also wrote some of the yoga guests posts last year which you all had a chance to check out.  She lives here and loves Kirkland too. I think you'll enjoy her style and holiday tips!  We can learn a lot from her. I can hardly wait to see what great events, gifts/sales and decor she is going to discover in downtown Kirkland for us.

Together, Lacie and I will bring you festive events (11/10), hot happy hours (11/17), go-to gifts (11/24),  decor to die for ( 12/1), seasonal dining (12/8),  and beauty tips (12/15).  Each post will include a fun giveaway that you didn't know you could live without.  Oh my gosh.   Look at all of those deadlines.  I have got to get to work.  Enjoy this series- and Lacie, thanks in advance for being part of the Kirkland Weblog this holiday season!! ~j

Get Ready with RED Emergency Prevention

Here is an interesting new company with services in our area that you need to know about.  County RED is committed to emergency prevention and disaster preparedness.  Any friend of my husband Steve knows that he takes his nickname of "Mr. Safety" pretty seriously.  So, you can imagine our excitement when we heard that a local firefighter and a pair of UW students have started doing household safety reviews and disaster plans at no cost. Did you know that over 90% of homes in WA state are not prepared for fires or other residential emergencies?  Yikes.  Not a good stat with all the natural disasters there have been lately. 

 <--Richie, Jared and Andy

Knock knock knock.  These three handsome young men show up at the door in matching shirts and an iPad in hand.  They have software that has a comprehensive checklist of safety items for the home which will generate a score after our walk-thru the house.  I showed them where our fire extinguishers are, CO2 detectors, flashlights, gas shutoff tool, emergency plan, escape routes, dryer vents,etc.  I was feeling pretty good about it since I've been through the city's "Map Your Neighborhood" program and I do the crime watch for my street AND I'm married to Mr. Safety (bonus).  I thought things were looking up as I scampered around the house proudly producing hardhats and backup water supplies. Then we got an 82%.  Which almost made me cry (yes, I was that kid you hated in school.  I've never gotten an 82 before).  But the RED team praised our efforts and said that's the highest score they have seen so far. 

We also talked to the guys about escape routes from our home and they showed us how to turn off our water meter at the street and had us practice too.  Of course, they offer products and services to get you and your home ready for any disaster.  Everyone always procrastinates on this stuff, but a free inspection is a great first step to creating a household that is prepared.  Why wouldn't you do this?  Especially since I am challenging you to beat my 82.  I have a prize for the first reader that does it (email me kirklandweblog@gmail.com) . Call 888-557-5167 and make an appt. Go ahead, buy all your supplies and beat me.   Even just one more safe household in Kirkland will help me sleep better at night. ~j

 

Emergency Preparedness in Kirkland-What you Need to Know

 
As our hearts and wallets pour open to get help to Japan, recently struck by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, many can't help but wonder when it's going to be our turn. 700 calls came in to the Emergency Preparedness group at the City of Kirkland last week. And it's true, we are due. So, let's talk about what the city is doing and also what your household should be doing to be prepared (without me freaking you out).

I spoke with Stephanie Day, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (Fire/Bldg Dept), who helped clear up that question that... NO there cannot be a tsunami in Lake Washington.  Tsunami by definition requires a sea floor and the lake is not a sea.  We could have what is called a seiche, which sounds fancy but only equates to some foot high waves for a short while. So, Kirkland is safe from the big wave.

More troubling would be the Seattle fault line running along I-90 which could deliver the most damage and destruction.  A significant quake would likely sever gas lines, water, sewage, rail and impact the transporation of supplies and groceries, much of which comes from the Kent Valley.  The good news is that Kirkland is on pretty solid ground so our potential for landslides is generally less than in other areas. We also have a lot of new construction which is built to more stringent codes. 

The city has a Comprehensive Emergency Mgmt Plan that is available online.  If you want to see topographical info and some details like if you are in a landslide area, check the document called "hazard vulnerability assessment." We have a team of people that think these details through every day. There are many different elements that go into emergency planning- police, fire, utilities, and also meeting with regional partners such as Evergreen Hospital and Lake Washington School District so we're all on the same page. One important point is that our Comprehensive Emergency Mgmt Plan assumes that citizens are helping and prepared also.  Are you?

I helped take my street through the "Map Your Neighborhood" program recently.  If you haven't done this in your neighborhood, I would highly recommend it. Email Robert Reeves to get started.  You will learn how to compile a list of contacts, supplies/skills, and gas turnoff locations with your neighbors.  Then you figure out your meeting spot and talk about the 9 steps to take immediately following a disaster.  And of course the supplies to have on hand to be ready (yes, there are shoes, gloves and a hardhat under my bed right now).  Having extra WATER is most important.  Some of our neighbors keep an extra garbage can in their garage that they have stocked with emergency supplies. Pretty clever. Oh, and there is a company in Redmond called Prepare Smart that makes kits so you don't have to procrastinate any longer. That's where I got the 3 day kit I keep in the trunk of my car. King County also has a program called "3 Days 3 Ways" which urges the public to get prepared and tells you how. Plenty of resources! You should also sign up for notificiations on RPIN (Regional Public Information Network) so you can get an alert when there is an emergency and updates.

One last link- for those in Japan that need our help. I'm sure they would do the same for us- and this one is a deal too--- Living Social is matching $5 donations to the Red Cross through tomorrow. Get your household and your neighborhood ready. I figure if we're ready it won't come. ~j

"Kirkland First" is Keeping it Local

Kirkland has just launched a free online business directory for Kirkland-based businesses in an effort to promote local spending.  You can check it out at www.kirklandfirst.org .  It's just like a hyper-local yellow pages getting underway, so if you or someone you know owns a local business you should get them hooked into this resource.  It's FREE.  And you know I love free.

As a consumer, you might be surprised at the products and services you can find right here in Kirkland by checking out the site (dog training, A/V rentals, event planning, you name it!).  The goals of the Kirkland First program are to give local businesses more opportunities to thrive, build a stronger local economy, and promote community between business, residents and consumers.   So let's get on board and keep our dollars (the few that we have left) here in town. ~j

98034 Gets Their Amazon Fresh!

Good job on the votes, Kirkland! Juanita will not starve after all.  Amazon just announced that they will start making their grocery delivery service available to 98034 starting on April 1st. Order before midnight and your groceries can still be at your doorstep by 6am.   Sounds strange to me, but if you wanted to order a book or DVD  or spatula along with your wine, steak and asparagus they'll bring that to your doorstep too.  And for those of you that expressed concern about buying locally (AMZ is a local company), I noticed they have a 'shop local items' button right on their home page.  ~j

Amazon Fresh Expands: Vote for Kirkland!!

For those of you that don't know about Amazon Fresh, it's a great online grocery service.  Everything is fast and fresh and delivered to your door.  They have all sorts of organic and local items too.  You can order online until 10pm and have your groceries waiting on your porch pre-dawn.  Delivery is FREE if you order over $40 (which isn't difficult to do). 
Ugh, I sound like a commercial.  I'm not gushing only b/c I'm biased (Steve works at AMZ) but b/c I used to use this service at least once a week when we lived in 98033 and it's a lifesaver.  Then we moved out of our house while it undergoes some major renovations, and we're now in a rental house in 98034.  The landlord conveniently forgot to mention that Amazon Fresh does not deliver here!!!
So- here's what you need to do- VOTE!  Amazon is asking for voters to tell them where their next delivery zip code should be.  The people of Juanita are starving out here!  Let's help them out!!!
VOTE for 98034 here.

I'm Joining the Kirkland PD

Well, maybe not literally, but for 12 weeks I'm going to go through some behind-the-scenes training.  And you can too!  The Kirkland Police Dept Citizens Academy runs every Weds between Feb 4 and April 22nd from 6-9pm and they're taking applications now (it's free!).  If you are over 21, live or work in Kirkland and have no prior felony convictions you can come learn about officer training, investigations, special response and firearms instruction.  I might be a sharp shooter and not even know it yet. My future is bright.  Still waiting for my background check to clear, haha, college doesn't count right?

For an application or more info, check the city website  or  contact Sgt. Robert Saloum, Community Services Division, at 425-587-3401 rsaloum@ci.kirkland.wa.us or Officer Allan O'Neill at 425-587-3451 aoneill@ci.kirkland.wa.us.  I'm looking forward to this adventure and will be sure to share it with you- I can spy on the police (j/k Chief!), pick up a few new skills (do these tactics cross-over to parenting?)  and maybe even pull YOU over on my ride-along (friends beware).~j

Finding a Cab in Kirkland Just Got Easier

Attention Kirkland party crowd!  Or maybe those that occasionally have one too many.  Have you ever tried calling for a cab in this town?  They aren't just floating around when you need them and you'd better have a Red Bull in your hand if you are planning on calling for one and waiting. 

But one smarty pants group of taxi drivers have noticed the need for service on the eastside and started a flat rate service called Eastside for Hire.  They've been around since October and have 40 cars in operation serving mostly the eastside (but of course they will take you anywhere!).  Wait times are typically 10-15 mins. The cool thing is it's a flat rate- no surcharges for waiting or for extra passengers.  So, if you've tied one on down at Tiki Joe's, you can call 425-453-9000 and stuff yourself and 3 of your friends in the car for $7 to all crash at your 98033 address.  There is a handy rate calculator on their website- it's $35 to go from 98033 to the airport, for example.

So stay safe and smart, Kirkland.  I don't want to see your swervin' ass on the road (and neither do the plentiful DUI taskforce officers) and now you have no reason not to make the right choice.  It's that easy.  Please leave your feedback here if you have the chance to use this service.  The old has-been partiers like myself are curious :-)    ~j