South Seattle: Beacons on the Hill, Part Deux
I had reason to drive through north Beacon Hill earlier this week and I realized that to a casual observer it doesn’t appear to be the highly desirable place I claim it is. There’s limited foliage and plenty of construction on the main drag of Beacon Avenue S, a number of businesses lack storefront windows and those with windows have decorated them with wrought iron bars. Frankly, there is little charm at first glance. All the more reason for my e-tours into the fabric of this neighborhood’s life.
At this juncture, I must point out the new-ish and very spiffy library (a tremendous improvement – it used to be housed in a small storefront and felt like a book mobile that lost it’s wheels, a taco truck of literature). Drop past some time just to enjoy the natural light and the kinetic sculpture. A little further south is Yoga on Beacon, proof that I am right in dubbing this a warm and getting hotter neighborhood. There will be a plethora of wine bars before you know it. By repute this is a terrific studio and often plays host to well known yoga teacher Seane Corn, who is revered for her instructional DVDs and generally impressive physique.
If yoga is too frivolous a past time for you, perhaps you’d prefer to participate in a egalitarian experiment. Membership to Emma Goldman Finishing School is hard to come by and requires a trial membership of three months to a year. Which seems like a long time but I figure it’s worth really knowing if you’re up to the task of instigating social and economic change. A 2006 article from the Seattle Weekly can give you additional insight to the daily grind of revolution.
I suspect that very few of the Beacon Pub’s regular barstool sitters have ever heard of the local commune but every last one of them probably knows the lyrics to Cher’s Just Like Jesse James. Friday nights are karaoke nights and it’s a hell of a show. Whether you’re a crooner, pop balladeer, an R & B belter or a wanna-be rapper you can demonstrate your skills to an appreciative and inebriated audience. The crowd is a direct reflection of the neighborhood’s diverse demographic and the drinks are cheap. A word to the wise – eat elsewhere. We’ll explore your options in a future post.
