peregrinations around Capitol Hill

[sistawendy]

While I was on Capitol Hill to get vaccinated again, I took the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and, let's face it, survey damage.

For you folks outside Seattle, Capitol Hill has been Seattle's gayborhood since the coming of AIDS shut down the bath houses in Pioneer Square. It's also the neighborhood where Seattle goes to have fun. It's got way more than its fair share of night life and arts venues, even if you account for its relatively high population density. It's just a ten-minute train ride from downtown or the University of Washington.

So while I waited for my vaccine appointment, I:

• Walked from the light rail station past Everyday Music because I love record stores. Sadly, that one is now closed, seemingly for good.
• Noted with satisfaction that the Wildrose, Seattle's lesbian bar that has survived when even San Francisco has lost its last one, is open and has outdoor seating in the shade of trees.
• Got vegan ice cream at Frankie & Jo's, texting the dairy-intolerant Tickler to make them jealous.
• Saw that Capitol Hill Cider is a-OK. Everyone I know who has to eat gluten free has that among their very favorites, and even gluten fiends like me think it's pretty great.
• Walked over to Neighbours. It's boarded up and there's construction going on inside. A Goth lady over on Zuckerberg's data mine says, though, that Neighbours should reopen within the month. That's good, because where else can one dance on speakers while wearing thigh-high boots; or get grabbed by the hair, shoved against a wall, and kissed by a retro femme? I'm one of many, many queers who have fond memories of that place.
• Noticed that Zion's Gate is open.
• Checked out some art at Vermilion.
• Saw a posted notice saying that Cafe Racer, beloved north end arts venue with pretty good eats, is moving to the Hill! That, too, is good news. I got the impression that even as close as it was to the University of Washington, Cafe Racer was one of the best-kept secrets in the north end. It deserves not to be a secret.
• Looked around in Doghouse Leathers even though I had no shopping list. They're as busy as ever. I must say, I did see something that might make a nice Christmas present for myself.
• Got a beer outdoors at the 'Rose and reported all of the above. After, of course, chatting with Ruth the cute blonde owner, who was tending bar. They were jumping on Pride weekend despite the murderous heat. It got so hot in their upstairs storage that the had to move some of their inventory.