The first pontoon makes its appearance

For those who missed the coverage in the local media this weekend, we offer this photo showing the first of the new "longitudinal pontoons" to arrive on Lake Washington. It's currently floating at a temporary moorage off of Medina, but it's destined to be one of 77 such pontoons that will eventually support the new SR 520 floating bridge as it progresses across the Lake in our direction.

The pontoon was manufactured in Grays Harbor and floated through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks on Saturday:

Each pontoon is 75 feet wide (which explains the tight fit through the Locks), 29 feet tall, and weighs 11,000 tons.  A second pontoon will be floated in tomorrow.

Those interested in watching the progress of bridge construction from the vantage point of a stationary camera positioned in Medina can do so here. This is what the camera shows as we post:

[Photos and videos courtesy of WSDOT.]

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Pagliacci site plan revealed

New pizzeria to open by early November

As everyone has probably noticed, construction got underway several weeks ago at what most recently was the site of Spotless Cleaners (3015 E. Madison St.).  As we reported in April, Pagliaccci Pizza will soon be coming to this site on Madison Park's doorstep---and after hearing the news, several readers asked us to get the details.

To do that we contacted Pagliacci co-owner Matt Galvin, who provided us with this graphic showing what the site will look like upon completion in the fall. The new building will have approximately 35 seats, but on-site parking will necessarily be limited, says Galvin.  But of course there's always the convenience of home delivery.

Galvin says that this is really a return to Madison Valley rather than an entirely new venture for the pizza chain. The previous building had once housed Pagliacci's "commissary" operation (a kitchen baking for the benefit of Pagliacci restaurants and delivery locations).  "This is an exciting opportunity for us," says Galvin, "and it's long overdue.  We've been working on this for ten years---but we're in the patient mode."

Galvin describes Pagliacci's pizza as "old school": hand tossed, brick-baked, thin crust, and featuring local ingredients wherever possible. He didn't mention (though we do) that Pagliacci Pizza was just voted "Best Pizza" in the Seattle Weekly readers' poll.

This will be Pagliacci's 23rd location, including delivery-only sites.  Many of us remember that this location was once a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.  According to Galvin, the site was originally the depot for the trolly that once ran between downtown and Madison Park. In the early days, a trestle---which carried the trolly---existed between Madison Valley and the intersection of what is now Lake Washington Boulevard.  Later the site became a gas station; and following the exit of Kentucky Fried Chicken it was subsequently a commissary for both Pagliacci and, later, Pasta & Company.  

It's an important and historic site, says Galvin, "and the location's a good fit for us. We're excited about the move and about getting the site cleaned up."  Construction could be completed as early as October, he said, but may slip into November.

[Photo and graphic courtesy of Pagliacci Pizza.]

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Weird crime in the Arboretum

The Seattle Police Department's blog, much improved since the founder/writer for the now defunct website SeattleCrime.com became the principal blogger, recently posted this story about some nearby craziness:

By Jonah Spangenthal-Lee

Officers arrested a 56-year-old man Monday night [August 6] after he went on a bizarre, log-hurling mischief spree near the Arboretum.

Around 11 pm, the man ran into the middle of Lake Washington Blvd E., and tossed a log at the driver, smashing the car’s side mirror and denting the hood.  The man then fled into the woods, and the driver called 911.

Minutes later, the man showed up in front of a woman’s home near E. Interlaken Blvd. and 26th Avenue E., grabbed a sign out of her yard, and then took a quick break from his strange crime spree to do some gardening—moving a hose in the woman’s yard and turning on an outdoor spigot.

When the woman saw the man in her yard, she yelled at him and told him to leave.

Instead, the man walked up to her house, began ringing her doorbell, and claimed someone was chasing him.

The woman called police, and officers arrived and arrested the man for property destruction.

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Madison Park 'best' in two categories

Cormac Mahoney and The Independent Pizzeria score

It seems that when the Seattle Weekly comes out with its "Best of Seattle" issue each year, Madison Park makes the list in at least one or two categories---and this year was no different.

For those who are not regular readers of the Weekly, we note that the 2012 awards, published last week, included Madison Park Conservatory's Cormac Mahoney as "Best Chef" and, for the second time, The Independent Pizzeria as "Best Pizza, Thin Crust."

The Weekly described Mahoney as exactly the kind of chef to make New York media types salivate, since he is all about local ingredients, does his own interpretation of trendy dishes, and "stays close in touch with his hipster roots."  And, of course, there's the food: "smart,, restrained, and always exquisite."

The Independent Pizzeria, which was a "Best of" choice when hardly opened in 2010, gets praise from The Weekly for having mastered all of the elements expected of a good Neapolitan pie: crust texture, sauce flavor, and topping ratios.  And, of course, there's that great "near-waterfront location" that "would charm even the most finicky Italian."

Our beach did not get singled out this year, though it was once the "Best Beach for Babe Viewing" (2010) and "Best Spot for Running into People You Never Thought You'd See Again After High School" (2009).  Cactus! made the list in 2007 and 2011 for its cocktails.  Madison Park missed out in 2008.

[Editorial aside:  Another award given by The Weekly has a vicarious connection to Madison Park through the Madison Park Blogger.  As it happens, the "Best Local Girl Gone Bad" for this year is the tenant of a house we own. The apparent downfall of this former Ms. Washington (soon to be on trial for murder) is a lurid story which has gotten a lot of coverage, including this from The Weekly: "Peggy Sue Thomas: Drop Dead Gorgeous."

[The Madison Park Conservatory is located at 1927 43rd Avenue E. and The Independent Pizzeria is located at 4235 E. Madison St.]

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Another 520 shutdown this weekend

Lake Washington Boulevard also closed through Arboretum

Construction crews will be working on installing a "fish-friendly culvert" and demolishing the old Bellevue Way overpass along the SR 520 route this weekend, necessitating the closure of the State highway from the point of the Montlake Boulevard eastbound exit all the way to  I-405 in Bellevue. The shutdown will occur beginning at 11 pm on Friday and end at 5 am on Monday.

At the same time, there will be significant work underway in the Arboretum, which means the closure of Lake Washington Boulevard E. this weekend. The timing of the shutdown will be slightly different from the 520 closure times. The Boulevard  will be closed at 7 pm. on Friday and will reopen at 9 pm on Sunday.

There is a lot of work planned for the Arboretum during this period, including the construction of a raised sidewalk and "speed cushions," the installation of "bike sharrows" (those are those stencils that show images of bikes, intended to encourage drivers to share the road), and continuation of the project designed to replace and improve the streetlights along the route.

There will be another planned shutdown through the Arboretum September 20-23, coinciding with another closure of SR-520.

[Photo showing the current progress of 520 construction on the eastside  courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation.]

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New York Cupcakes: outta here

Another multi-location food purveyor has closed its Madison Valley store, Bellevue-based New York Cupcakes' ending its foray into Seattle after only eleven months on this side of the water. NYC's last day was July 31, according to Seattle Met's Nosh Pitt blog.  New York Cupcakes thus follows the lead of Woodinville-based Bill the Butcher, which closed its Madison Valley operation earlier in the month.

We were not entirely surprised by the exit of New York Cupcakes, which had been struggling to find an audience since its opening in September.  Owner Lisa Waxman Johnson admitted to us last year that the store was not performing up to her expectations. In explanation of the closing, NYC posted this comment on its Facebook page: "Madison Valley is a great neighborhood but not the one for us (parking is super tough!)."  Bill the Butcher, in commenting on our story about the closure of its Madison Valley store, said much the same thing about its departure: "One of the many things we have learned in our first three years is the importance of parking---something our Madison Shop has always struggled with since it's opening."

It's not true, however, that no multi-location operation can make a go of it in Madison Valley.  Essential Baking is a good case in point.  And on the horizon, of course, is the new Pagliacci Pizza store which will soon be opening in the former location of Spotless Cleaners.  We expect to be sharing details on that later this week.

[New York Cupcakes was located at 2711 E. Madison St. Pagliacci Pizza will be located at 3015 E. Madison St.]

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A shout out for Restaurant Bea

'Cool comfort food' close at hand

Commentary 

While Madrona may be a bit off the Madison Park Blogger's beat, our near-neighbor up the hill is certainly not off the beaten path of many Madison Parkers who enjoy a good meal and prefer not to have to go very far to find it.  We've long been a fan of St. Clouds, a homey, family-friendly, good-food establishment that's been a staple of the Madrona community for a dozen years. Now, for those who haven't already made the discovery for themselves, we're shining our spotlight on Restaurant Bea, which made its debut in late March.

Originally a collaboration of Kate Perry and chef Tom Black, Restaurant Bea has garnered some solid reviews since its opening four months ago, including this from The Seattle Times ("winsome country charm with an urban edge") and this from The Seattle Weekly ("comfy and stylish").

The menu is both "down-home" and upscale, with dinner entree prices ranging from $12 (the Painted Hills burger) to $23 (the rabbit and agnolotti).  The food menu for Happy Hour (Tuesday through Saturday, 5-6 pm in the new 22-seat bar) includes clams & chorizo with fennel-tomato broth, mac & cheese, and braised rabbit pot pie, each for $5. Restaurant Bea has a full bar and a nice selection of craft cocktails (one of which, The Frankie, was the subject of a notice in a recent issue of Food & Wine).

Chicken roulade

Brunch, which is served 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday, ranges from strata, brioche french toast and fritters to lamb burger and mussels---and, of course, as a side: fried Spam.

The restaurant also boasts a four-seat chef's table, located in the kitchen, at which a five-course tasting menu is served.

Chef's Table

The chef doing the serving, however, will not be Tom Black, who recently "parted ways" with Kate Perry (her words). There's a new guy in the kitchen, though Perry is mum about the details of the split and who, exactly is now cooking up the fennel vichyssiose. But he made his debut last week and "working with him has been smashing," Perry tells us. Seattle Met's Nosh Pitt blog quotes Perry as saying she doesn't want the place to be considered a "chef run" restaurant, and she said much the same thing to us.

In its short run to date, what Restaurant Bea has been offering its patrons is simply good food and friendly service in a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. We can only hope that what's already good about this new entry on the Madrona scene is enhanced by the chef change and not undermined.

Restaurant Bea's space (1423 34th Avenue) was successively the home of Cremant (2008-2009) and June (2010-2011), two well-regarded restaurants that, for whatever reasons, just were unable to make a go of it.  Perhaps the third time's a charm for this location, with Restaurant Bea enjoying not only good reviews but longevity as well.

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