To encourage shopping local this season, Madison Valley is hosting a:

Holiday Happy Hour
Tuesday, December 2nd, 4:00 – 8:00 PM

The event includes:

* Select shops open until 8 p.m. offering holiday sales and specials.
* Restaurants offering specialty holiday cocktails and/or food from 4-8 p.m. 

Participants include:

Shops:

River Song Jewelry
Jarbo
City People’s Garden Store
AFH Salon
Baas Framing Studio
Fury Women’s Consignment
Annie Mauad Massage Therapy
and more

Restaurants:

Cafe Flora
The BottleNeck Lounge
Luc
Seattle Salads
and more

Bring your friends, support our local businesses, and have a great time!

As we head into the week of Thanksgiving, the McGilvra community is in the middle of a food & toiletry drive in coordination with the YWCA. The food and toiletry donations continue to make a big difference for those in need over the Holiday season and through the winter. If you are a McGilvra parent, you have seen the boxes outside each classroom and at the administrative office and library.

We encourage the community to be just as involved. There are food drive donation boxes all around the community, including at Homestreet Bank in Madison Park.   

In this time of giving thanks, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving and thank you for supporting this great opportunity help those in need. 

Students and family are also continuing their tradition of service with our annual Mitten Project. The project allows families to pick a mitten to find a card inside that will help fulfill a wish for a family in need. This has always been a favorite project and very important part of what McGilvra teaches our children about being involved with the community in positive ways.

As we approach the holidays, McGilvra librarian Danae Powers and some very dedicated parent volunteers are gearing up for the Scholastic Book Fair — books are great gifts! The week long event will end with a wonderfully planned Snow Celebration concert by the McGilvra students.  

Hunter Robbins is a McGilvra parent, Communications Chair for the McGilvra PTA and can be reached at [email protected].

Opens Thursday night.

Baas Framing Studio is celebrating the opening of their annual Winter Group Show. The 19th Annual Winter Group Show features original paintings, sculpture, and mixed media work by Karrie Baas, Pat Clayton, Jeanne Edwards, Julia Ricketts, Lene Sangster, Claudia Schlosser and Louise Warner. Featured jeweler Jamie Rawding will be showing works in sterling, pearls, and resin.

“Street View” Jeanne Edwards, oil on panel, 14" x 11"

Ukelele virtuoso Arden Fujiwara will add musical ambience to the festivities. 

November 20 – December 31, 2014
Opening Reception & Holiday Party:
Thursday, November 20, 5 – 8 p.m.

Baas Framing Studio & Madison Art Collective
http://www.baasframingstudio.com
2703 E. Madison

There were 46 incidents reported to the police in October, down a bit from September’s total of 50. As usual the single largest category was car prowl theft, with 14 reports, and there were three cases of vehicle theft and one license plate theft.

There were two robberies during October.

1. On Oct. 22 at around 1 PM, there was an armed robbery in the 1800 block of 23rd Ave. The police have not posted a detailed description of this incident.

2. On Oct. 27 shortly after 3 PM, a resident of an apartment building at 22nd and Madison was approached by a robber while in the secured parking area of the building. The robber demanded that she give him her money and grabbed her wallet from her hands. Finding that there was little money in the wallet, he then grabbed her iPhone and told her to give him its PIN number. The robber also grabbed at a package that the victim was carrying and then fled to an elevator at the NW corner of the garage. The victim ran to an elevator at the other side of the parking area and, upon reaching her apartment, called a friend who reported the incident to the police. While waiting for the police to arrive, the victim was able to trace the location of her iPhone first to the 400 block of 23rd Ave., and then to the corner of 14th and Yesler. The phone was later found at 14th and Yesler, but with a broken screen. Although there are several surveillance cameras in the parking area, they had been disabled because the building was being renovated.

Four burglaries were reported in October.

1. Police received a report of a non-forced entry burglary at a residence on Ward St. near 26th at 9 PM on Oct. 4. A detailed description of this incident is not available on the Police Reports website.

2. On Oct. 16 police were notified of a burglary at a residence on 19th near Harrison that occurred sometime between 7 AM and 4 PM that day. The burglar(s) rummaged through cabinets and drawers and stole jewelry, clothing and accessories, a laptop, and $400 in cash. The resident and the police were unable to determine how the burglar gained entry, but security cameras monitor the complex in which the residence is located.

3. On Oct. 22 sometime between 1 AM and 5 AM, a burglar broke into a restaurant near 24th and Union by smashing several windows. The burglar stole between $300 and $400 from a cash register in the restaurant, but the police were unable to find any fingerprints.

4. A resident of a ground-floor apartment on 23rd near Pine called the police on Oct. 12 to report that someone had stolen his TV and gaming equipment during the previous night. The burglar entered through an unlocked bedroom window. The police found no fingerprints at the scene.

Additional information can be found at the SPD’s police reports website.

Lowell Hargens is a Madison Valley resident and former University of Washington professor of sociology specializing in the statistical analysis of data.

Our Madison Valley store saw lots of pups warding off the chill in cute sweaters. Modeling the very latest in weather-appropriate doggy attire, we have:

A brand new terrier mix puppy rocking a cute little green rain coat.

Local favorite, Starbuck the Sharpei, all dressed in his squirrely best.

An adorable Cavalier looking just dapper in wool!

Look how happy that Puggle is to be all snuggly warm in his fashionable hoodie–the style–the grace!

While not wearing her own sweater, this brand new beagle puppy is all nestled in the sleeve of her papa’s.

Matching sweaters on Yorkies is doubly cute.

Pink sets off curly fur best.

…and three more visitors sporting just their own lovely fur:

See special offers from All The Best on pet food and supplies.

Cafe Flora’s four-course meal includes vegan and gluten free options for each course. Start with the Feuilles de Brick (V, GF), roasted squash with shaved parmesan and sage hazelnut pistou. Work your way to the Lacinato Kale salad (V, GF) with radicchio, prairie spy apple, herbed citrus dressing, gorgonzola, spiced pecans and pomegranate seeds. Choose between Pumpkin Risotto Cakes (V, GF) or Creamy Wild Mushroom and Root Vegetable Ragu for your main and top the night off with Pumpkin and Theo Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding, Apple Tart (V), or Pumpkin Pie (V, GF).

Special children's menu includes: soup, salad, shepherd’s pie, and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Entire children’s menu is vegan and gluten free.

Thanksgiving dinners are $65 for adults, $25 for kids, and are by reservation only. Seatings are available from 1-7:30 p.m. Call 206.325.9100 ext. 3 to reserve. Cafe Flora is located in Madison Valley at 2901 East Madison Street, Seattle. Visit CafeFlora.com.

The MVMA is holding its regular monthly meeting. You are invited to attend.

Nov 19th, 8:00 AM
Cafe Flora

Agenda:
Holiday Happy Hour
Holiday Lights
Neighborhood Updates

The MVCC will be holding its regular monthly meeting. You are invited to attend.

Nov 19th, 7:00 PM
Bush School Community Room

Agenda:
Holiday Happy Hour
Holiday Lights
Neighborhood Updates

Like the jello salad at Thanksgiving dinner, our health tends to get pushed aside during the holidays. This year, take a few extra steps to ensure proper digestion and reduce the risk of post-holiday sluggishness.

Eat Your Vegetables

While indulging in delicious holiday foods, remember to eat your vegetables! The fiber can help curb blood sugar spikes and improve GI motility. A nice rule of thumb is to make sure at least half of your plate is full of vegetables, especially dark leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (think cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, bok choy and cauliflower).

Keep Calm & Eat On

Although emotions can be rocky around the holidays, it’s best to sit down to a meal when you are calm and not feeling upset or stressed. Ensuring our bodies are in a predominantly parasympathetic mode (“rest and digest”) rather than a sympathetic mode (“fight or flight”) when we eat provides more digestive strength and less risk of indigestion. 

Another idea: Try to chew your food 100 times per mouthful. Even if you can only get to around 50, the process allows for more mindfulness when eating and decreases the chance of overeating. And because the process of breaking down food starts as soon as the food hits your mouth, chewing slower and longer leads to better uptake of nutrients and a happier digestive system. 

Sip Sparingly

While it is very important to stay hydrated, avoiding liquids during a meal enhances digestion. If we ingest copious amounts of fluids with food, it dilutes our stomach acid and decreases the release of digestive enzymes, therefore weakening digestion. If you must drink during a meal, drink only small sips of tepid or warm liquid.

Prep the Stomach

Before meals (approximately 15-20 minutes), consider taking bitters or drinking one tablespoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a small amount of water. This kick-starts the digestive juices, has an alkalizing effect on the body and protects against indigestion after the meal. Digestive enzymes may also be taken to help break down food. Try to include digestion-promoting herbs in meals, such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger and cayenne. 

Post-Meal Help

If you experience reflux or indigestion symptoms after meals, reach for DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) tablets—rather than calcium carbonate products—to quickly ease the symptoms. Specifically for gas and bloating, consider carminative herbs such as fennel, ginger, peppermint and cinnamon (Gaia Herbs’ Gas & Bloating tea or capsules are typically very effective). Demulcent herbs, such as slippery elm, marshmallow root and aloe vera gel, can help coat and soothe the digestive tract (find them in Thorne’s GI-Encaps). In addition, taking a brisk, 15-minute walk after meals can help to keep our blood sugar balanced and stimulate the digestive tract.

Long-Term Support

For long-term poor digestion or leaky gut issues, L-Glutamine powder can help to repair gut mucosa. Triphala products can strengthen the digestive system, and work as a mild laxative. And Probiotics and fermented foods help the gastrointestinal terrain stay healthy, since good flora is essential to digestive health. 

Warm Relief

For occasional relief, try abdominal castor oil packs, which have anti-inflammatory action and may help with digestive pain. Materials for the castor oil pack include castor oil, an old t-shirt or cloth, wool or flannel fabric, and an external heat source such as a heating pad or hot water bottle. First, apply a thin layer of castor oil to the abdomen (roll-on castor oil can be a less messy option). Put on the old t-shirt, and then cover with the heavier wool or flannel fabric. Apply the heating pad on top of the layers, lie down and allow the relief to seep in over the next 30 minutes—or hopefully much longer!

Feel free to visit Pharmaca in Madison Park to talk with one of our licensed health care professionals and check out the digestive supplements section to learn more about natural solutions to digestion problems.

The Madison Park Community Council is offering a series of talks from people in the neighborhood who have or have had interesting careers. The program is called “Meet your Extraordinary Neighbors.” The next talk is by actor Tom Skerritt, who lives in Madison Park. 

Tom has starred in 44 movies, including Alien, Contact, Mash, A River Runs Through It, and Top Gun. He has also been in innumerable TV shows, including Bonanza and Gunsmoke. He will talk about his movie and TV experiences and his current passions.

The event is free and all neighbors are welcome to attend.

Wednesday, Nov 12, 7:30 pm
Park Shore Retirement Community
1630 43rd Avenue E, just south of the Madison Park beach.

The Capitol Hill Blog reports that Whole Foods is coming to Madison & Broadway! They'll be tearing down the brick building at 1001 Broadway and building the new store. http://bit.ly/13P6Yye. WF updates timeline to Spring 2017: http://bit.ly/1xeZX4c

View Haus 5, the city’s first Passive House-Constructed townhomes, offers a higher quality of life and lower carbon footprint — not to mention much cheaper energy bills.

“It’s about building homes that I would live in with my own family, ” said Cascade Built owner Sloan Ritchie. Most recently, Ritchie did just that with Park Passive, the city’s first certified Passive House. He’s now unveiling his newest Passive House project in his old stomping ground — Madison Valley. View Haus 5, aptly named for its five-unit community, Passive House design and striking views of the Cascade Mountains offers homebuyers the unique chance to live in a healthier, more comfortable home within a community of like-minded buyers just a mile from downtown Seattle.

Homes built to Passive House standards consume 80-90% less heating energy than traditionally built homes. This is achieved with an air-tight, super-insulated building envelope and the capture of solar heat gains through high-performance south facing windows.

Designed by award-winning b9 Architects, View Haus 5 has five distinct homes that were designed to appeal to a diverse group of buyers with a few commonalities. “The buyers of these homes understand the role air toxins play in asthma and allergies, are happiest when they can focus on living and not how much their utility bills will cost during a particularly cold winter, love the accessibility of living in the urban core, and they are visionaries in a larger global movement to reduce energy consumption, ” continued Ritchie.

View Haus 5’s modern design is a mix of 3-story 2b/2ba and 3bd/2ba townhomes ranging between 1,100 and 1,700 square feet. Unlike most townhomes that are mirror units or have one unit type for the entire complex, View Haus 5 bucks the cookie cutter trend with individually designed units. The homes are clad with 100-year old reclaimed barn wood, outdoor spaces include a central common courtyard and private rooftop decks with gas BBQ piping. Interiors offer an open floor plan, large windows, double-height spaces, LED lighting, and modern finishes.

View Haus 5 accompanies Cascade Built’s other Madison Valley projects, including the LEED Platinum Alley House 1, LEED Platinum, modularly built Alley House 2, and newly constructed Valley 3. The homes are just blocks from Madison Valley’s popular restaurants and shops, and within walking distance to Seattle’s bustling Pike/Pine corridor, a future Light Rail station, and one mile from downtown Seattle.

“We know that buildings are the number one consumer of energy in the world, and we know how to change that, but that’s not even what is so amazing about Passive House construction,” continued Ritchie. “For me and my family, it’s an overall improvement in our health and happiness — living comfortably and being mindful of how comfortable it is to sit in front of windows in the middle of winter and not feel an ounce of cold, drafty air.”

View Haus 5 will be completed in mid-November and celebrated with an open house for the community to tour the homes and learn more about Passive House construction. Presale opportunities of the homes will begin on November 7th with selling prices starting in the low $500,000 range.

“A friend of mine said it years ago when we were enjoying life and what it had to offer to its fullest — ‘it’s good living.’ That’s the mantra of this project,” closed Ritchie.

View Haus 5 will be open for a sneak peek (it's not done yet) on Sunday for the International Passive House Days tour. 12–4 pm, 208 25th Ave E.

All The Best Pet Care and Nature’s Variety “Pound for Pound Challenge” supplies food for local animal shelters.

As Thanksgiving nears, pet lovers often want to share the holiday with their dogs and cats, so they stock up on healthy food and treats. This year, local pet parents have the opportunity to provide healthy food for local shelter animals at the same time, at no cost. For the entire month of November, any Nature’s Variety dog or cat food purchased at an All The Best Pet Care store will be matched, pound for pound, with a food donation to a local shelter. Additionally, those who purchase Nature’s Variety food to donate to a shelter will get their gift matched, pound for pound, essentially doubling their donation. 

The food recipients will include Old Dog Haven, Cat Tales, Motley Zoo, Homeward Pet and PUPs.

“Last year, our Pound for Pound Challenge resulted in donations of more than 15,000 pounds of high-quality dog and cat food to our local shelters,” noted Susan Moss, owner of All The Best Pet Care.

Jenny Martin from Nature’s Variety said, “I’m really excited about this opportunity to make a huge impact on needy dogs and cats in our community. Together, we will provide the high-quality food shelter pets need to get off to a better start.”

Since 1985, All The Best Pet Care has offered healthy alternatives to the low quality, mass-marketed pet products. All The Best Pet Care has eleven stores located in the Seattle neighborhoods of Ballard, Crown Hill, Lake City, Madison Park and Queen Anne, and in Bellevue, Edmonds, Issaquah, Kenmore, Mercer Island, and Redmond. For more information, visit www.allthebestpetcare.com.

Jenny Martin from Nature’s Variety (left) and All The Best Pet Care owner Susan Moss are happy to see a full donation bin.