Messenger Archives - December 2005

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

Painter-guitarist-singer Frederick "Drake" Deknatel, 62, died Nov. 18 shortly after open-heart surgery. He was a regular performer at various Belltown hangouts including the Two Bells, where he first met his wife and musical collaborator Lauren Deknatel. In a September panel discussion at the Capitol Hill Arts Center, Mr. Deknatel called painting "the original virtual reality."

The Vera Project has mounted its all-ages music events (and classes such as Punk Rock Yoga) in the ex-Annex Theater (and ex-Fred Astaire Dance Studio) at 1916 4th Ave. That building's been slated for demolition/replacement for some time. Now, Vera's finally getting a permanent home. The Seattle Center Snoqualmie Room's being refitted to house Vera's performance space and offices sometime in '06.

The Commodore Hotel, 2013 2nd Ave., closed for nearly a year, will be razed in early 2006. In its place, the property owners plan a new six-story hotel/retail project. The Commodore's last ground-floor tenants, Nexxus Cafe and a teriyaki joint, abruptly closed in mid-November. Nexxus's owners left a note vowing to reopen as soon as they can find a new site. (In prior years, the Commodore's storefronts housed the legendary Second Avenue Pizza, Howard House Gallery, and Living Museum of Letterpress Printing.) While the Commodore was once lauded in an essay by author Jonathan Raban, other reviewers have been less kind (a Google search for "Commodore Hotel Seattle" leads to some quite snarky reviews of its facilities and services).

The Belltown Streetscape Study will announce its proposed changes to Third and Fourth Avenues at a public meeting on Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m., in the YWCA building at Third and Lenora. Call John Pehrson (441-9913) or Ron Turner (441-3395) for details.

Antioch University Seattle presents a fundraising "Alternative to Holiday Shopping Madness" on Thursday, Dec. 1, 3-7:30 p.m. at, 2326 6th Ave., Room 100. It benefits Alternative Gifts International, which raises funds on behalf of organizations in international relief and development. Antioch's Kristen Vogel says participants can "honor friends and loved ones this season with a gift of sustainable self-sufficiency for an individual, family or village in a developing country who need the basics such as clean water, livestock, sustainable agriculture, literacy and vocational training." Contact 206.268.4712 or kvogel@antiochseattle.edu.

Belltown resident Elizabeth Beronich Sheets, a children's author and book maker, will appear with her works on Saturday, Dec. 3, 7-10 p.m., at Art/Not Terminal Gallery, 2045 Westlake Ave. Her work, which includes holiday gift items, will be shown through January 4. Another Belltown art vet, photographer Arthur S. Aubry, just had his first New York exhibition at the Glitterman Gallery.

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