Heads Over Heels

Thank you for bringing another voice to the issue of concussions (“Unnecessary Roughness,” September 2011). My son is 13 and is a goalkeeper for a Seattle select team. After getting a concussion two seasons ago from heading a ball “incorrectly,” I require him to wear a scrum cap while goalkeeping and have tried to force him to wear a header band when he plays on the field—which he won’t because “no one else does.” It has been an uphill battle trying to get the coaches and administration to make protective headgear a uniform requirement (it still isn’t). They sure do care whether their shins are protected, though. As more influential publications talk about concussions, it furthers the cause of protecting kids regardless of the sport they play.

Lori A. Magaro
Ballard

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Will Work for Tax Breaks

Your article “The Kid” (September 2011) about Andrew Villeneuve taking on Tim Eyman highlights a major problem in this country. He lives at home and attends college, but has he ever supported himself and lived on his own? Does he know what it’s like to earn a living and pay taxes? I suppose he’s just another American who pays no federal income tax but demands equal representation. You may not like Tim Eyman, but he earned a living and paid his own way long before he became politically involved in our state. He has a financial stake in how our tax money is spent, unlike Villeneuve.

Joseph (Jay) A. Patenaude
Auburn

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Best Dirt

Great article about a great heritage (“Return to Red Mountain,” September 2011). Ciel du Cheval is a Washington landmark.

Kathleen
Greenlake

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Trendy But Spendy

Interesting list ( “100 Best Washington Wines,” September 2011). But only three wines are under $25. Because of price, I won’t be trying that many of these Washington selections. How can Washington wine move into the mainstream if even dedicated wine lovers can’t afford them? I’ve learned that value wines come from overseas, weak dollar and shipping costs notwithstanding. There are tons of great $25 wines out there for the finding, and lots of delicious $15 bottles for more every-day use, but only a precious few are from Washington in my experience.

Dave
Columbia City

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Wine Critic’s Note

I too was disappointed not to see more highly rated wines at lower price points ( “100 Best Washington Wines,” September 2011). However, keep in mind that the “Rest of the Best” list, which contains red wines that received 90-point ratings, has 21 wines that are $25 or less.

I do believe one of Washington’s strengths is value. This doesn’t mean that the wines are always inexpensive. It means you are getting higher quality wine for the price compared to similarly priced wines from other regions. To wit, in a popular online wine discussion forum, readers have been marveling at the prices of the wines on this list compared to their peers in California! It’s all relative I guess.



—Sean P. Sullivan

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Top Wine Panel

While I’m happy the tasting was done blind and in small groups of four to six bottles by varietal, I’m confident a comprehensive “Top 100” list would be much stronger if there was a group of tasters ranking these versus one individual. Having a group of at least four tasters (if not six or eight), including a winemaker (perhaps from BC or Oregon in order to be unbiased), a wine retailer, a sommelier, and a wine critic (like writer Sean Sullivan) would allow for a more nuanced consensus on what is worthy of applause from current Washington vintages.

Kurt
Seattle

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Taste of Woodinville

Clearly you’ve never tasted the amazing wines from Celaeno (“100 Best Washington Wines,” September 2011)!

Christine Craig
Ballard

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Pay to Park. And Pay and Pay.

I am one of the 400 residents of Pioneer Square and hope to see more people spend time here on the weeknights and weekends ( “Pioneer Square on the Rise,” August 2011). However my husband and I are looking to move. One of the concerns is parking: We have only one parking spot, so one of us parks on the street. Prices continue to rise and options continue to decline. This cannot help the small businesses struggling in Pioneer Square storefronts. I agree the perception of Pioneer Square to most Seattleites is distorted and dated. We try to prove that to our friends on a regular basis, when we can talk them in to paying $3.50 an hour for parking to do so.

Jessica Schulte
Pioneer Square

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Friend of the Park

I’m a native Washingtonian, and spent my childhood camping “on the canal” (“Insider’s Guide to Olympic National Park,” August 2011). Whether it was oyster shucking and clam digging at Dosewallips, hanging out at the beach at one of the great lakes in the park, or trips to Port Angeles and Port Townsend (and that crazy Keystone ferry over to Canada!)—it’s all great childhood memories. You can thank my Dad for my exposure to the park (and all the other Washington parks as well). Fast forward to me sitting in the chair at the hair salon and reading your article, including a piece on how to help the park. Being the loyal native that I am—I helped.

Pam Reynolds
Ballard

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Drama-Free Zone

I agree that a Real Housewives version in Seattle (“The Real Housewives of…Seattle?,” August 2011) wouldn’t follow the formula, but wouldn’t it be fascinating to the rest of the country to see healthy people doing good and raising their own kids?

Tina Witherspoon
Seattle

• • •

Ode on a Hawaiian Tiki Mug

Tiki drinks and the accompanying culture occasionally take a hiatus from the public eye (“Tiki Cocktails Return," August 2011)
… But if you find yourself sitting in front of a professional bartender, he should be able to whip you up a terrific mai tai or Zombie or Blue Hawaiian with little trouble. There are a few places where the flaming drinks and the bamboo ambience coexist, and Hula Hula on Lower Queen Anne is one. Thatched roofs, tiki mugs and glasses in all varieties, etc., and their tiki cocktails are served in a room designed to remind you there are places where it only rains while you’re sleeping.

Dwayne Edwards
Ballard

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Tropical Cocktails

King’s Hardware in Ballard and Linda’s Tavern on Capitol Hill also serve classic tiki cocktails with fresh ingredients (“Tiki Cocktails Return," August 2011). You can find classics like the Polynesian Paralysis, the White Witch, the Aku Aku, and of course the mai tai.

Melvidaloca
Seattle

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Corrections

In the September 2011 “Fall Arts Preview,” we incorrectly listed the end date for Seattle Opera’s production of Carmen; it ends October 29, not October 19. Also, the character Azucena in Il Trovatore was mispelled Azcuna. And Peanuts creator Charles Schulz’s name was misspelled Schultz. In the August “Top Doctors” feature, Jon B. Olson was listed as an anesthesiologist; rather he specializes in pain medicine. Child psychiatrist James Adam Parker no longer practices ophthalmology. Psychiatrist John Wreggit no longer practices. Due to an editing error, general pediatrician Gregory Rurik’s first name was listed incorrectly as Odette.

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