08.08.2023

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Today’s Forecast

🥒 Volley that ball

Bainbridge Island Pickleball Founders Tournament volleys into town

These paddles would be a real flex to any picklers not from the area. | Photo via @millstreambainbridge, design by @factory43design

Pickle! Oh, sorry, that’s pickleball speak for “the fourth annual Bainbridge Island Pickleball Founders Tournament is just around the corner.”

From Wednesday, Aug. 9 to Sunday, Aug. 13, Bainbridge Island’s Battle Point Park will host ~418 international players competing for bronze, silver, and gold medals in the round robin-style event.

Registration for the tournament is closed, but you can want watch all the fun for free. There will also be retail vendors, food trucks, a beer garden, and tours of the court where Pickleball was first played.

You’re reading that right. The sport that has seemingly swept the world off its feet was created right on Bainbridge nearly 60 years ago.

The history behind the briny sport

In the summer of 1965, Seattleites Joel and Joan Pritchard were spending their summer on Bainbridge with their son Frank. After a day of golfing with his bud Bill Bell, Joel came back to find 13-year-old Frank in a bit of a teenage funk — upset because there was “nothing to do” on Bainbridge.

Having made up his own games as a kid, Joel grabbed a plastic ball, ping pong paddles, and set up a badminton net for a new kind of tennis-like activity. Joan named the game after the leftover rowers who raced for fun in “pickle boat” regattas.

The following weekend, Joel’s buddy Barney McCallum came to visit and the two nailed down rules using badminton as the main source of inspiration.

The horde of picklers grows

The sport grew and in 1976, the first pickleball tournament was was held at the South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila. The first rulebook was written in 1984 and by 1990, the game was being played in all 50 states.

Want to get in on the fun? The City of Seattle has a variety of indoor and outdoor courts that can be reserved and a hosts some beginners’ classes.

Events

Tuesday, Aug. 8

Don’t Drag Me Down! A Benefit for Trans & Queer Rights | Tuesday, Aug. 8 | 7 p.m. | Tractor Tavern, 5213 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle | $20-$500 | Support the local trans and queer community and enjoy a night of live music among Ballard venues Tractor Tavern, Sunset Tavern, and Conor Byrne.
The Front Bottoms | Tuesday, Aug. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle | $25-$65 | The American indie rock band just put out a new album on August 4.

Wednesday, Aug. 9

Happy Hour Garden Party | Wednesday, Aug. 9 | 4-6 p.m. | Freeway Park, 600 Seneca St., Seattle | Free | Help clean up the cute little downtown park — refreshments and garden tools will be provided.
Nine Hats Wines Bingo | Wednesday, Aug. 9 | 6-8 p.m. | Nine Hats Wines, 3861 First Ave. S., Seattle | $5-$65 | Grab some pizza and a bottle of wine, and try your best to win a big prize.

Thursday, Aug. 10

Seattle Seahawks vs. Minnesota Vikings | Thursday, Aug. 10 | 7 p.m. | Lumen Field, 800 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle | $30-$725 | Get a glimpse of what lies ahead during the Seahawks’ first preseason game.
ABBA Night: Music and Movie in the Park | Thursday, Aug. 10 | 6-10 p.m. | Lake Wilderness Park, 22500 SE 248th St., Maple Valley | Free | Gimme, gimme, gimme a night with a live, ABBA cover band followed by an outdoor screening of “Mamma Mia!”

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Biz

Somebody grab the giant scissors — Meta opened its brand new Building X office in Redmond yesterday. The new space at 10301 Willows Road NE has 608,000 sqft of space and will house Meta’s augmented and virtual reality division Reality Labs. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Travel

Annnnddd here’s another record to add to the books for the weekend when Taylor Swift, the Blue Jays, and six cruises were in town. Seattle hotel revenues peaked at $7.4 million on Saturday, July 22, smashing the $5.4 million record set Tuesday, July 11 during the MLB All-Star Game. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Eat

Good news for the Southern folk in town. Fast casual restaurant chain Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers has filed plans to open its first local location. The Baton Rouge-originated fried food joint will move into the 5,932-sqft space at 4345 University Way NE, but no timeline has been revealed. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Drink

Several nearby wineries got big shoutouts at the recent Washington Wine Awards. Woodinville’s Bayernmoor Cellars and Quiddity Wines were both named among the four State Wineries of the Year. Plus, Freddy Arredondo of Cave B Estate received recognition as a State Winemaker of the Year. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Coming Soon

Bellevue’s Shops at the Bravern will be getting a new Chinese restaurant soon. Jian Nan Restaurant is set to take over a 7,700-sqft space at the 11111 NE Eighth St. shopping plaza by the end of 2023 or early 2024. Expect dishes like Peking duck and spring rolls on the menu. (Downtown Bellevue Network)

Shop

Golf and apparel shop Bogey Boys — owned by local star Macklemore —announced a new location. A hiring post verified the shop will be moving into the University Village soon, but further details have yet to be announced.

Weather

After a cool, wet weekend, Seattle may be in store for another heat wave soon. Forecasts expect higher-than-average temperatures starting around Sunday, Aug. 13, with the possibility of a few 90° days. (Axios Seattle)

Cause

❤️ Awarding big hearts

Local nonprofit co-founder named a L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth

Tonya Sandis helps youth turn their pain into something new and powerful through art. | Photo via L’Oreal Paris

We’re feeling extra free to love this news.

Tonya Sandis, a Seattleite and co-founder of local nonprofit Free2Luv was named as a L’Oreal Paris Woman of Worth.

The award is given to 10 female nonprofit leaders who work hard to build up their communities. Each honoree receives $25,000 for their nonprofit, mentorship from the L’Oreal network, and a platform to share their work.

Tonya and Free2Luv work specifically to address youth suicide rates by giving kids mental health tools through art, film, theater, dance, and social media.

Seattleites can help the cause through Free2Luv’s website and students can receive support by joining the nonprofit’s Facebook group or by signing up to receive a free creative expression journal.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alina

From the editor

If you’re worried about the end of summer growing closer now that Seafair is over, don’t pull out those sweaters just yet — we’ve still got Day In Day Out and Bumbershoot still on the calendar.

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