I received an email from the editors of the Madrona News which has not been able to produce the desired 10 issues per year due to lack of volunteers. The editors are working folks and they depend on volunteers to help fill an issue. I remember when I first took over the Leschi News and there were few contributors. I was still working, ostensibly retired and only filling in when someone else was on vacation. My first fill in was for someone who worked full time and was taking a 6-month sabbatical! And here was my first stint as editor! The next 6 months were terribly busy with most of the paper being written by me, a trend I did not appreciate! A community newspaper should be a diversity of voices as the community is made up of many personalities, not just one. It took a while to get others to step forward and commit to monthly contributions. One help was a suggestion by John Barber that we devote a section of the paper to culture and that began the Culture Corner. Susan Platt who is an art critic was delighted to take on the review of new shows and new venues for artists and living in the Central District, she was quite familiar with local artists and smaller venues that don’t get mentioned in the larger publications. Susan has been writing this column for years now and we appreciate her immensely. She does travel but has seen that her column is filled by others in the art world. Her husband, Henry Matthews, is a lover (and former professor, now retired) of architecture, and Esther Ervin, a Madrona artist, is familiar with our local art scene and works closely with local arts groups. Leschi Market has graciously lent us the voice of Ken Benner, a wine enthusiast, with an extensive background in wine and “wine talk.” I love to eat out and felt that restaurant reviews should be a part of the Seeking Sustenance column. But it has not been easy to get folks to submit their own reviews and there are months when I don’t get out (as much as I had hoped). Karen Daubert has sent us some good reviews; she is appreciative of good food and gets to more Mt. Baker eateries than we do. Susan Platt has also sent us some reviews of Madison Valley restaurants; and she recommended Malcolm Harker to us. Malcolm’s British wit is not to everyone’s taste, but he does know good food and deals when he meets them! We are now receiving not full reviews but tidbits, such as best cookies and best croissants, but of course that does not a meal make so we urge our Leschi neighbors to forward reviews when you eat out and remember it’s not just the food, it’s the whole scene. Could you hear your dinner partner talk or was the noise too great to converse? Was there ample room and comfortable seating? I remember one of my early reviews of Trattoria Mitchelli, a now defunct eatery in Pioneer Square. The tables were close and the floor had a definite slant to it; I was present when a waitperson lost control of his many dinner plates and as one plate tipped, the pasta slowly slid off the plate and down the back of a female diner just one table away. I had many experiences there and it was always an adventure trying to eat there. We are pleased to have such contributors as Georgia McDade who brings us an African-American voice, although I chose to see it as a voice for justice and equality; Charlie Phillips who has studied climate change and can often explain the anomalies of our curious weather patterns here. We appreciate Benson Funk Wilder for his reports on Leschi School and Selah Brown who keeps us tuned in to the activities at the Senior Center. Jennifer Romo has come forward in recent months to tell us about the Garfield Community Center classes and activities which appeal to youth as well as to Seniors. We appreciate the voice of Anne Depue, book maven, for her lucid reviews of the most difficult tomes and her recent forays into the flora and fauna of the area. Her daughter Cello Lockwood is our intrepid traveler sending reports back from various spots around the globe in her year-long study of the effect of climate change on hoses. We appreciate the monthly financial reports from our treasurer who gives us the skinny on the costs of doing what we do and our attempts to make meaningful donations to keep Leschi institutions alive and well. It is a task of the Leschi CC president to write a message to the community each month and Janice Merrill Brown encourages us with positive words in even the bleakest of months. And of course, we appreciate John Barber, long time Chair of Parks and Greenspace for his close watch on all things green and his careful scrutiny of the budget as far as Parks is concerned. Kudos to Julia Hsieh for keeping our mailing list current and producing the labels each month. Her efforts keep us from the postal fees which occur when you move and don’t let us know and we find out the hard way…ouch! $4.48 per returned newsletter! Thanks to Kirsten Hopperstad who manages to survive the cumbersome changes often required to keep our production costs low as possible and still meet post office requirements. And thanks to Gwen Rench who puts out the sandwich board signs for our general meetings, no matter what the weather! I appreciate Brandon Macz, Madison Park Times editor, as he is the most active editor I have seen in a long time. He is everywhere and gets the scoop ahead of everyone else. He often fills us in through NextDoor Leschi. As residents, all of you have a voice and should contribute. We do avoid political discussions due to our non-profit status. Comment on local issues and not personalities. It takes a lot of volunteer work to make a strong community; we wish Madrona the best in their efforts to keep the newsletter going and we encourage Leschi to keep our community strong! ~Diane Snell, Editor

MARCH 4 March is Women’s History month and this year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment which gives women the right to vote. We want to celebrate that auspicious and hard-fought victory with a special program honoring those suffragettes who worked tirelessly for the benefit of all the women to follow. The early suffragettes lived in New York and were quite familiar with the Haudenosaunee tribe (part of the Iroquois nation). The Haudenosaunee women had equal rights and a voice in the decisions of the tribe. They were not considered property of their husbands. This native group was inspiring as the suffragettes fought for the right to vote. We have invited a talented actor, Tams Alan, to depict what it was like to be a suffragette; Tams has acted at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and performs locally in the living history series. VOLUNTEER HELP NEEDED: CONTACT LESCHINEWS@COMCAST.NET

Hello fellow Leschi neighbors, Well here we are moving quickly into the new year. Judging from all of the messages from the year end, 2019 was not the best for most people. I believe we are all excited about the opportunities 2020 will bring. A note of caution that is making its way around, when signing checks, do not just put 1/24/20 but spell out the whole year: 1/24/2020. It would be too easy to change a date if you just use the two number abbreviation we all typically use (this is for people who still write checks). This month’s program will feature the Crime Prevention Officer of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct, Joseph Elenbaas, who will be discussing various issues community members have been curious about and a synopsis of the types of activities seen by the East Precinct in our area. Questions have been submitted varying from who to call for Wellness Checks to how to restart the Neighborhood Watch program. If you have not submitted questions, please prepare and send to Diane Snell or me and we will present. Our next meeting is February 5th at 7:00p at the Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave. S. We will have to reschedule the presentation of the proposed mural for 31st and Jackson. Due to the snow, this was postponed. A special thank you to Bart Evans who had patrons of BluWater contribute to the Giving Tree at Leschi Elementary. As you can see from the article in this publication, $7500 was raised and gifted to them. A tremendous boon to the school and exceptional kindness and generosity from our community and BluWater’s clientele. Bart has always been supportive is so many ways of both the commercial community and the Leschi Community Council. And a special thanks to Leschi Market for their support of Leschi schools’ needy families with gifts of 80 hams and the fixings for a holiday meal! As the days get longer and the spring flowers are around the corner, we encourage you reach out if you need help, look for opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life—a sincere smile can have rippling effects you may never see. All of us have struggled with a variety of life’s challenges and we have also enjoyed life’s wins—large or small. Be safe, be in joy and I wish you a Valentine’s Day where someone wishes you love. Warm regards, Janice Merrill Brown President, Leschi Community Council

Join us for an evening with our Crime Prevention Officer, Joseph Elenbaas, to learn the answers to our safety questions on February 5th at 7pm. Why do statistics show the crime is at an all-time low when there are so many complaints in social media about package thefts and car prowls as well as car thefts? February 5, 7pm Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave. S, One block s of Jackson

Local artist, Lawrence Pitre will present his proposal for a mural on the two-story curved retaining wall on 31st just south of S Jackson St. The community is invited to ask questions and express any concerns. January 15, 7:30pm Central Area Senior Center 500 30th Ave. S

September 24th, shortly before Seattle Arts and Lectures guest Malcolm Gladwell appeared on stage, a young black man whom I did not know asked me why there were more blacks to hear Gladwell than Zadie Smith in February. Before I could answer, my black friend said, “Zadie Smith is less accessible. Many blacks do not know her, certainly do not know she is Jamaican.” The man said Smith and Gladwell had the same backgrounds. My friend said English/Afro-Jamaican Gladwell is “an Americanized Canadian who writes about issues important to Americans.” Gladwell’s latest book, Talking to Strangers, begins with his attempting to explain what happened to Sandra Bland, the 28-year-old black woman who was arrested in Texas for changing lanes without signaling, jailed, and discovered hanged in her jail cell three days later. British/Jamaican Smith often writes about subjects that interest African Americans; however, these pieces usually appear in The Guardian and Atlantic although occasionally she is in The New Yorker. Gladwell is on the staff of The New Yorker. We can agree then that Gladwell has more access, therefore, to The New Yorker? Smith’s works are often about immigrants and the challenges they face attempting to enter British society, subjects that may be of less interest to African Americans, many of whom feel as if they themselves have been and are terribly mistreated. September 23rd, three days after I taught a basic English class in a public place, a woman in the class emailed me the following: “One thing that I know (and it wasn’t your fault) was the make-up of that class. Weren’t you expecting it to be reflective of the local community here? I was. This is likely one of the most diverse communities Seattle has, and yet, most of the people in that class were older white folks. The last thing I expected to see was all (or almost all) white folks, in the seating.” Because Time is my greatest enemy, I would guess many persons do not have the time such events or classes require, free ones included. Varied responsibilities take precedence, perhaps: children, partners, organizations, parents, relatives, for instance. Many people work on weekends and nights. Many people work more than one job. When it comes to expecting the class “to be reflective of the local community here,” I had no expectations about who would be in the class. All classes are open to all who come, as should be the case. As I said at the beginning of the class, what I hate most is having no idea which skills writers have. But everyone is always welcome. I told a few persons whose writing I have seen that they could skip this class. A person who can’t write a sentence and a person who has written a book are most likely in different categories, yet both persons saw the title of the class and came to see, to learn, I hope. I admit, I never thought of teaching anyone but black students; after all, I grew up in all-black schools with all-black staff. As a senior, I met my first white teacher at all-black Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Making my home in Seattle made clear I would have students of a variety of backgrounds. I have always welcomed everyone although I have not always been welcomed. According to Seattle Times columnist Gene Balk, whites, at 31.7%, are the largest racial group on the south end of Seattle followed by Asian 30.3%, Blacks 21.4%, Latino 9.1%, Multiracial 6.0%, Pacific Islander 0.8%, Native American 0.5%, and Other 0.2%. I have no idea how often I have attended a function and saw no persons of color or fewer than four. When I arrived here in ’67, I was surprised, but after a while, I decided to attend whatever when and wherever. I will probably always encourage persons to attend but won’t let going or being alone stop me from going. I wish I could teach the world, the world to write. I believe when we get in the habit of writing better, we speak better, communicate better. I believe the better we can communicate feelings, beliefs, the easier it is to negotiate the world. I’ve seen so many persons of all ages, races, creeds change for the better once they write something and someone understands it, likes it, tells others about it. Seattle abounds with activities, programs of many kinds from free to much higher. I wish more folks of every color, ethnicity, creed had the opportunity to attend and made a point of coming to more lectures, plays, operas, classes, music programs, sports events, etc. I’m convinced all of us would benefit as a result of glimpses of life outside of our respective caves/bubbles/cages, e.g., where we live, despite the wealth or poverty we may have experienced or are experiencing. ~Georgia S. McDade

We enjoyed a jazz guitar concert by Eli Meissner and his mentor, Dave Peterson, this year. A beautiful table of cheeses and salmon choices kept everyone fortified. Thanks to Leschi Market for providing wine and a hearty thanks to LCC president, Janice Merrill Brown, for supplying us with hors d’oeuvres and holiday cookies. And thanks to Trevor Menagh for tending bar. Eli Meissner and Dave Peterson. Photo courtesy Janice Merrill Brown. Guitarist Eli Meissner is from this area but studied at NYU and has returned to perform in local venues. Dave Peterson is a retired music teacher from Cornish College of the Arts. They both performed at our ArtWalk in September, but this was a better venue for their work with a more intimate setting. And thanks to the Central Area Senior Center’s designer extraordinaire, Boyce, for his elegant holiday decorations. And in 2020 Expect This: March is Women’s History month and this year is the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote! We want to celebrate that auspicious and hard-fought victory with a special program honoring those suffragettes who worked tirelessly for the benefit of all the women to follow. We have invited a talented actor, Tams Alan, to depict what it was like to be a suffragette; Tams has acted at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and performs locally in the living history series. We have invited tax assessor John Wilson to speak at our April 1st meeting. Our annual meeting is in May and we will elect officers AND honor Leschi Stars for 2020. More on the elections next month but think about what you can do for your community! ~Diane Snell

This is the GLITTER event of the year! It is awesome to watch the parade of shimmer and shine as seniors enter to find their respective tables. I definitely need to expand my shopping sites! Past Leschi CC President, Thurston Muskelly, with Lisa Moland, Leschi School Principal, Janice Merrill Brown, current Leschi CC president, and Henrietta Price, Leschi crossing guard. Photo courtesy Karen Daubert The Leschi Community Council table was delighted to have past LCC president and past Senior Center Board president Thurston Muskelly as our guest and many thanks to another past LCC president, Karen Daubert, for bringing him. He was definitely THE guest of honor as many seniors came to pay their respects for his long years of service to this community. Precise Catering offered the guests salmon or chicken plates and then the infamous Dessert Dash took place! Each table collects donations from their guests and submits them for totaling and ranking. The highest bidders get first choice but there was no lack of good options, so it was a win-win for all. Volunteers contributed their most decadent desserts to the cause and there were several pieces de resistance from Indulge, a West Seattle bakery, which is the first place I’ve heard that bakes the Southern Classic Hummingbird Cake. The music was the Eugenie Jones Quartet; Eugenie is a Seattle based jazz singer who performs up and down the coast. She has a powerful voice and treated us to both jazz and holiday numbers. Senior Center Director, Dian Ferguson, elegantly glad in shimmering gold, filled us in on the quest to own the Senior Center. In the ongoing battle to get the city to acquiesce, the last hurdles to be jumped require the Center to submit separate 990s; as part of Sound Generation, their annual figures had been lumped with all the other Senior Centers and now must be pried loose from that all-inclusive report. Although the Center is hoping that this hurdle is the last, one wonders as it has been apparent that the Mayor does not want this to happen. She is still fixated on affordable housing for this property, even though the geo-tech studies indicate an estimate of $16,000 plus to stabilize the steep hill to accommodate any housing. Stay tuned as this saga should continue well into 2020. ~Diane Snell

December 9, 2019—Attending: Janice Merrill Brown, Trevor Menagh, John Barber and Diane Snell. Janet: treasury report Janet sent report by email to each Board member. Janice 1. Who’s at our table at CASC this Saturday? John & Kate Barber, Janice M. Brown, Tracy Bier, Jim & Diane Snell, Thurston Muskelly and Karen Daubert 2. Presentation of mural on Jan 15th. Artist has confirmed and does not need any equipment; will bring handouts. 3. Reiterate our 2020 plan, so we can do “save the date” stuff. January meeting: mural presentation; February: John Wilson, Tax assessor and March is Women’s history; the struggle for the right to vote 100-year Centennial. Janice will set date for coffee with Randy & Buzz for Star awards. John: Peppi’s Woods disaster: Parks went into this small area with big equipment to trim trees and much of the volunteer work was disrupted. Janice suggested a letter of regret to Parks. John said Liz Ohlsen would write the story for the newsletter. John said the incident is written up on their website: Friends of Peppi’s Woods. Leschi Natural Area: the loyal volunteer force is aging. Fran and Bunny Wood have moved to an elder community in Oregon. Both Betsy Z. and Rich A. are experiencing some of the mobility issues of aging. A new volunteer force is needed with maybe just once a month clean-up and trail restoration. He will write a plea for a new volunteer force for the newsletter. John attended the Seattle Neighborhood Coalition this past Saturday and reported on the proposed HUBS. If communications are knocked out during an earthquake, neighbors could go to a Hub to get information like what is open or closed, i.e. is there an operational hospital in the area? A volunteer has come forward to manage a Hub in Powell Barnett Park. Diane suggested that it might be a good idea to also have one in Leschi Park as some of the elderly residents are not going to be able to walk that hill to Powell Barnett Park. There is a storage area (locked) where equipment is kept and perhaps Hub materials could be kept there. As it turns out, John has a key to that storage area. Diane: Newsletter deadline: Dec. 16 Kiosk changes: new format of newsletter is too big for kiosk. Calendar was posted along with poster re: Holiday Party. Diane suggesting that we have it printed in the original format for posting; Diane replied that Jim had tried that, and the font was so small that it would not be legible in the upper part of the kiosk. Donations: made by Council in December: Leschi School; Senior Center Offers of help: Tonna, Eva, Peggy. These folks offered to participate in ArtWalk (Tonna), Council (Eva) and note taking (Peggy). All offers of help greatly appreciated! ArtWalk: Suggestion that we don’t start until after the holidays. Janice agreed but wants to start earlier than April this year. Diane asked about charities; in the past, we have offered suggestions in the December newsletter with some examples of what the organization does. We didn’t have room for anything but the Giving Garland in this last issue, so she asked for suggestions…what do we as the Board donate to? John Barber has donated in the past to environmental groups but feels he will be donating more to the Senior Center with his concern about the Center going it alone. Trevor donates to Amara (adoption agency), Epilepsy Foundation and Leschi School. Janice donates to St. Jude’s, the Boyer Clinic and Oregon Tiger Sanctuary, and Diane’s utmost concern is homelessness and she donates to LIHI (Low Income Housing Institute, creator of Tiny House Villages), Real Change and Leschi School. We all recommended Charity Navigator to check out how much the organization you are considering actually gives to the cause. ~Respectfully submitted by Diane Snell

Continuing on the theme of Christmas Past, our restaurant reviewer wants to know: who is going to cook your goose? Goose used to be a Christmas staple—celebrated in an old English rhyme: Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat Please put a penny in the old man’s hat If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do If you haven’t got a ha’penny, then God bless you! Sadly, its place at the table seems to have been taken by other birds. There’s no goose to be found on the menu at Daniel’s Broiler or Meet the Moon—the two likeliest options for Leschi. As a last resort, I asked Google where I could get roast goose. All the answers pointed me in the same direction: The International District. So, if you’re looking for goose locally, it seems your goose is cooked—somewhere else. ~Malcolm Harker

Janice Merrill Brown says that Bakery Nouveau’s Snickerdoodles are the BEST! We both agreed that the Twice Baked Almond Croissants were decadent but seeing as how I always split them with my husband, I am only living half in sin. Tasted at a neighborhood tree trimming party: coconut macaroons from Golden Wheat Bakery! My homemade ones aren’t bad, but they are about half the height of these masterpieces. Way to go, Angel! ~Diane Snell

Happy New Year Leschi! Let’s kick off the new year with our Ten Favorite Wines from this past holiday season. Ever had a wine from Morocco? Did you know they made wine in Morocco? It’s on the list! Along with our favorite white wines, Champagnes and red wines from the last little bit. These are our favorites—we hope you have enjoyed them as much as we have. Cheers! White 2018 Mark Ryan Winery Lu & Oly We Sat by the Ocean Yakima ($24) “Our 60% Viognier/40% Chardonnay blend offers ripe citrus aromas, nectarine, and passion fruit. Fresh with lively acidity, the palate has warm tropical fruit, stonefruits and white floral notes balanced with a touch of oak. We sat by the ocean is medium-bodied and elegant, with a lengthy finish.” ~Winemaker notes. New item. This new label for Mark Ryan Winery is collaboration with Seattle-based artist Kylar Martz, depicting Mark’s daughters in a whimsical, ocean landscape. 2018 La Petite Ferme Blanc Zaër Morocco ($13) “The nose is fresh and elegant, with great aromatic purity, marked by floral notes and white fruit aromas. The deliciously sweet palate enjoys an attractive harmony of flavors. A lovely charming wine.” ~Winemaker notes Champagne! Pierre Peters “Cuvée de Réserve” Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne NV ($55) “Vibrant, almost buoyant acidity enlivens this graceful blanc de blancs Champagne, while the creamy mousse offers a finely woven mix of glazed apricot, lemon curd, pastry cream and dried papaya flavors. Smoke and spice accents linger on the finish. Disgorged December 2017. Drink now through 2022.” ~Wine Spectator, 92 points. Champagne Gimonnet Cuis 1er Cru NV ($46) Gimonnet is a grower Champagne house with more vineyard acreage in the Côte des Blancs than any other recoltant manipulate. This Cuvée Brut Cuis 1er Cru represents the archetype style of the Pierre Gimonnet & Fils. It is a lively and light Chardonnay based Champagne with all of the freshness and purity of great Côte des Blancs. Domaine Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles-sur-Ource Champagne NV ($35) “The fruit of the most beautiful and complementary grounds of Celles-sur-Ource. The result of observation and selection workover 8 generations of winegrowers in the Gerbais family. A natural wine-growing process recommended by Ampelos since 1996 and certified of High Environmental Value. 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Blanc and 25% Chardonnay.” ~Winemaker notes Red 2016 Avennia Valery Red Columbia Valley ($47) “Merlot from old blocks at Boushey Vineyards make up 70% of this wine, with the rest Cabernet Franc from esteemed Champoux Vineyard. Fascinating aromas of ripe red raspberry, earth, green herbs, cigar box and flower are followed by ripe, hedonistic fruit flavors that show the warmth of the vintage. Coffee notes linger on the finish. Best after 2023. Cellar Selection.” ~Patrick Sullivan, 96 points. 2014 Buty Connor Lee Vineyard Merlot/Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley ($42) “A classic wine from this estate, the 2014 Conner Lee Vineyard is a blend of 63% Merlot and 37% Cabernet Franc. It offers an herbal edge in its ripe black cherry, red plum, chocolate and earthy bouquet. This gives way to a rich, medium to full-bodied red that has polished tannin, integrated acidity and a great finish.” ~Wine Advocate, 92 points. 2016 Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley ($25) “A soft and silky red with lots of dark-berry and toasted-coffee undertones, yet not overdone. Full body, round and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Petit Verdot, Merlot and other red grapes. Drink now.” ~James Suckling, 92 points. 2017 Gorman Winery The Devil You Don’t Know ($24) “Polished and refined, with expressive black cherry, orange peel and bittersweet chocolate flavors that build richness toward fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. Smart Buy” ~Wine Spectator, 93 points. 2018 Elephant Seven Cosmic Reflection Yellow Bird Vineyard ($19) “Classic Mourvèdre characteristics of gaminess and meatiness accented with red fruit and licorice. A dense bouquet of dried flowers, garrigue and white pepper with an iodine driven minerality. The finish is pure and lively with nice acidity and supple tannins. 50% Mourvèdre, 50% Syrah, all from Yellow Bird Vineyard. 50% Mourvèdre, 50% Syrah, all from Yellow Bird Vineyard.” ~Winemaker notes. Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket .