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Quinault and Hoh rainforests are definitely worth your time. I've haven't been to the Queets or Bogacheil yet, so I'm not sure about them but I've been told the Queets is amazing even though there was a fire a ways into it a couple summers ago.

The Quinault valley has many largest of type trees in it. You can hike to the end of the valley to a place called "The Enchanted Valley" that has an old abandoned lodge in it and during the snow melt season has hundreds of waterfalls cascading down the cliffs behind it. It's truly beautiful. I went late spring last year and missed the most impressive melt time, but there were still tons of waterfalls and it was amazingly beautiful. The Olympic coast is also an exquisitely beautiful place to camp. I find the coastal spruce forests to be very magical, if somewhat ominous. My favorite plant book states that "the sharp needles of spruce were believed to give it special powers for protection against evil thoughts." There is definitely something very protective about them. Both the Quinault (some parts, check with the ranger to see if your specific campsite requires) and the coast (all areas) require bear cannisters which you can get for a couple dollar deposit at the Quinault ranger station or in Port Angeles.

The Snoqualmie Middle Fork area is also really awesome and much closer, however it's been mostly logged so the trees aren't massive like they are in ONP.

I also strongly recommend doing some mushroom hunting. In the spring, east of the mountains you can find Morels. I haven't been out morel hunting yet because I don't have a car, but I know they grow on burned areas. In the fall you can find tons of delicious edibles. Chanterelles abound. Make sure you have a good guide.

Closer in is Cougar, Squak and Tiger Mountains in Issaquah. We call them the Issaquah Alps. There're over 100 miles of trails and all three mountains have access within ~1 mile of a bus stop.

Not having a car I don't get far out as often as I'd like so I'm always looking for opportunities to go on nature adventures! Hit me up if you're ever interested.

there are bunches, here's a few ive read recently:

Sons of the profits. a little dry but packed with facts and fills you in on the history of the people that built the city, along with their struggles and trials doing so.
https://www.amazon.com/Sons-Profits-Business-Business-1851-1901/dp/0914890069

canoe and the saddle: goes back to when there was next to nothing here. half neat story, half educational to the area in the mid 1800's. i recommend the book with all the explanations noted to help follow along
https://www.amazon.com/Canoe-Saddle-Critical-Theodore-Winthrop/dp/0803298633/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502831073&sr=1-1&keywords=the+canoe+and+the+saddle

the good rain. i just love this one. it bounces all over, but i still love it. it also covers everyones favorite drunk climber, fred beckey (http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PJ-BD708_beckey_DV_20111109195435.jpg) !

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Rain-Terrain-Northwest-Departures/dp/0679734856/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502831144&sr=1-1&keywords=the+good+rain

Personally, I don't think a full repeal to all of the residential zoning is the best practice. A full repeal would likely only increase land values
(here's a good explainer as to how that can happen). I do believe they need to be loosened significantly. At the rate this city is growing, it needs to have all of the tools necessary to help increase density and banning thing such as having both an ADU and DADU on single family lots and requiring their sizes to be such that they cannot accommodate families is a bad thing. Duplexes and triplexes also should be legal in single family zones. These allowances also should be paired with strategic rezones that allow for some sort of corner market/commerce zone within a 5-10 minute walkshed of every house in SFZs in order to make it reasonable for people in SFZs to live without a car in these now densified neighborhoods.


In regards to more reading: are you looking for more reading regarding Seattle zoning law exclusively or are you looking for reading recommendations that follow an urbanist bent? For Seattle specific stuff, The Urbanist and Seattle Transit Blog post a lot regarding land use in the city. If you are looking for books that talk about general city planning the gold standard is The Death and Life of Great American Cities. I personally really enjoyed Walkable City, Suburban Nation, and Happy City.

Is your goal French press specifically (as in, the coarse grind and long brew time that results in that characteristic slightly-grainy taste) - or is it more generally non-shitty coffee from an automatic machine?

The mechanics of French press make it hard to automate, so I'm not terribly surprised there's not a lot of robotic presses out there. If your goal is just good coffee without a long manual process, the best option I'm aware of are the automatic "pour-over" machines:

https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KCM0802OB-Coffee-Brewer-Black/dp/B00OQJ7X8S/

https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-BV1902DW-Coffee-Brewer-Silver/dp/B0752CKQHW/

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Barista-Brain-Coffee-Maker/dp/B00YEYKK8U/

There's also "fully automated" espresso machines. A lot of them even include a grinder, so in theory you can press 1 button and get a latte or americano or whatever a few minutes later. They tend to be $$$ and use up a lot of counter space, though.

My personal setup is fairly manual - an electric kettle and an Aeropress. The electric kettle is way easier than a kettle on the stove - the one I linked has variable temp controls, so you can set it to heat up to 80 C and hold there. Doesn't need constant monitoring the way a teakettle on a burner does, and you'll get much better results with not-quite-boiling water. And the Aeropress makes fucking great coffee, without the PITA of cleaning a French press.

This is a good Seattle history book, if you are interested and want to read some rad stuff.

But other wise just be nice and I'm sure you'll be good.

Definitely. My house gets super hot, and being able to bring the AC unit to any room I'm in is a godsend. I got this one (was cheaper last year) and it's worked well for me, at least for one summer! I've read ones with dual hoses are better.

>You had to go back and edit your post.
>
>Sad. Not even trying anymore.

I was quoting a portion of a FAQ section. I accidently copied and then pasted a smaller portion than I had intended on my phone.

I went back and within literally a minute or two put the full quote to include more information.

I'm a little confused at how including more information, the original amount I had intended "isn't trying."

>Look: I don’t have a problem with you deciding that your precious snowflake is to precious to go to school with ‘regular people’.
>
>I do have a problem with you asking me to pay for it.
>
>I’ll meet you halfway and spring for a set of these for you.

You're not paying for anything unless you pay for lotto tickets. How much money do you spend on the lotto?

Plenty of people without children fund public schools and programs like running start with their tax dollars.

I can't even imagine saying something like:

"Look: I don’t have a problem with you deciding that your precious snowflake is to precious to go to school with ‘regular people

I do have a problem with you asking me to pay for it."

About programs like Running Start which help kids in our state attend college courses while their "regular peers" attend "regular" high school courses.

Since colorectal cancer is on the rise, and earlier in today's sub someone mentioned bidet attachments for their toilet -- I think we should take a moment to appreciate this review of the top selling bidet attachment on Amazon:

>Speaking as a hirsute gentleman, the Luxe Bidet Neo 120 has soured me on pooping in bidet-less toilets forever. It's shown me the difference between rubbing peanut butter out of shag carpeting with a paper towel, and that sparkling clean feeling you get right when you step out of the shower.

>The unit took me all of about 10 minutes to install on my existing toilet with only a wrench. The easy-to-control flow valve allows you to provide just the right amount of water pressure for a full range of cleaning, from "gentle trickling stream" to "full-on 'Silkwood' decontamination", ensuring the end of your bowel movement leaves you feeling cleaner and more refreshed than using just toilet paper alone. Even flush-able wet wipes pale in comparison.

I hope to report back on the state of my rectal health shortly after a few weeks of use. Hemorrhoids be damned!

Do you need help getting off, OP? I offer many services on Amazon which may assist with your adventure. Since you're interested in learning about politics, you should consider my best selling (but slightly outdated) onanistic classic Hard for Hillary.

The Amazon listing does say you can sign up for a free newsletter of Harolotte-porn.

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Camping-Adventurous-Adventure-ebook/dp/B00OGW2XRG

>From the Author

>google link <--- Join my NEWSLETTER and get FREE PORN!

Read: Sons of the Profits is a pretty good book about the origins of Seattle, and most of the Underground Tour (worth going on) is cribbed from it.

Podcasts: See this thread.

Businesses: In general, please patronize the scruffy older business we have. It's easy to always go to the newest or trendiest spot, but do try to support places that have been there for years (shoutout to Cortona Cafe ). Avoid Storyville Coffee (they're the business arm for a really regressive church that likes to pretend its hip), Cherry Street Coffee (the owner decided there needed to be a 'healthcare surcharge' on every receipt after the ACA was passed), and don't rent anything from a guy named Hugh Sisley.

Etiquette: We are polite to a fault. We're really chill. We tend to be indirect and studiously avoid confrontation(snark, not snarl, ya dig?). It will be hard to make friends with 'locals' b/c we already have social networks and there aren't so many of us around anymore, but patience/persistence pays off. Join a group activity and keep showing up if you want to get 'in' with a crowd.

I would love this! I often make the decision to drive to work, just because my bus commute is 2.5x the journey time (drive is 25-30 minutes, bus is 70-80 minutes). One of the reasons the bus commute is so long is because my local bus runs once an hour, leaving me with a 20 minute wait for a connection. I have to use it because the P&R fills up before 7am.

I would happily pay even a largish fee if I had a guaranteed spot at the P&R which would allow me to bus to work in a much more reasonable time (I estimate 35-40min).

On topic, this book is super fascinating: https://www.amazon.com/High-Cost-Free-Parking-Updated/dp/193236496X

> In this no-holds-barred treatise, Shoup argues that free parking has contributed to auto dependence, rapid urban sprawl, extravagant energy use, and a host of other problems. Planners mandate free parking to alleviate congestion but end up distorting transportation choices, debasing urban design, damaging the economy, and degrading the environment. Ubiquitous free parking helps explain why our cities sprawl on a scale fit more for cars than for people, and why American motor vehicles now consume one-eighth of the world's total oil production.

> If we start charging for parking everywhere in the city neighborhoods will see less traffic, but less people will be interested in going in to check out the stores/restaurants/events.

Or you know, maybe more people will walk/bike/take transit.

Parking is one of the largest subsidies to SOV drivers. Professor Donald Shoup lays it all out in The High Cost of Free Parking.

Buy an extra long portable AC hose from Amazon if you need it, and hire a handyman to install the kit as best as possible. No need for a contractor, and I can't think of a store that would send help for this type of thing.

You could also just let the hose hang outside the window, and the AC will probably be able to overcome the infiltration from the window. That's all the kit is for, to seal up the window from letting extra heat in from the outside or the hose itself. Alternatively you could prevent infiltration by pointing a fan at the open window with the hose hanging out of it, to keep the air moving from inside to outside. You'll want to put the AC away in a couple months anyways. It's a tricky situation.

Edit: I also found this thing. A handyman could install that for you.

Yeah, the ones that sit on the floor and use a hose for exhaust are called "Portable Air Conditioners" apparently. They also often have remote controls.

My plan was basically to get a portable A/C and one of these insulating window seals since my window opens outwards. However, my only window is 15 feet up (I normally open it using a pole my landlord provided me).

So add together getting the unit + proper tubing and coupling + insulating the window + needing a ladder and I thought I'd see if someone in town was better at it.

Sounds like most people just DIY though and that's probably enough for 90%+ of apartments :)

>mist or fog sprays can be susceptible to wind and you could end up spraying yourself if you aren't careful.

Gel spray is the better alternative. It's a bit bigger than traditional self defense sprays.


SABRE RED Pepper Gel - Police Strength - Tactical Series with 18-Foot (5.5M) Range, 18 Bursts & Belt Holster https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NKSPR8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vHuRDbNZXHQ0W

Three of my favorite:

Identification: https://www.amazon.com/Plants-Pacific-Northwest-Coast-Pojar/dp/1772130087

Herbal wisdom: https://www.amazon.com/Medicinal-Plants-Pacific-Michael-Moore/dp/0890135398

Foraging/edibles: https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Northwest-Foraging-Flavorful-Blueberries/dp/1604693525

Luckily, other people have thought very hard and determined that mandatory off-street parking raises the cost of living overall.

There's a pretty good book about homeless kids in Seattle written by Justin Reed Early, who was in the movie.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ICCX410/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o03_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Many cities in this area do have the core of walkable infrastructure in them and just require a bit of change to make them better. There is an entire sub-genre of urban development books related to the very concept of turning sprawl into dense walkable neighborhoods (e.g. Sprawl Repair Manual, Retrofitting Suburbia, Walkable City).

Puget Sound Regional Council takes these kinds of issues into consideration with regional planning. City planners also take these kinds of things into consideration. There is very high interest in building more urban walkable neighborhoods even in suburbs. The problem is it takes time and money for cities to implement these rules, and construction projects to correct deficiencies, and the building stock to turn over.

I think it's more of a manifesto. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039GL21I

But yes, you can read it.

All of the Top Customer Reviews on the Amazon product page are one star, with "DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY" as the central theme. Apparently this gimcrack isn't as "smart" as advertised.

If your house is like ours and and has side-sliding windows, you can get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-MN10CESWW-Portable-Conditioner-Dehumidifier/dp/B00B2BTAV6/

> our condo has a free parking spot

It may be superficially "free," but you may also be able to rent it for $50 – $150 per month, depending on where you live and your condo's rules. That's a lot of money over time!

No, didn't know about it! Good stuff? Just bought Skid Road

This stuff. It's gel...shoots exactly where you want it to go, not like an aerosol that will blow back on you. https://www.amazon.com/SABRE-Red-Pepper-Gel-Strength/dp/B004NKSPR8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1C4HR0ZYXNSU&keywords=sabre+red+pepper+gel&qid=1574939274&sprefix=sabre+re%2Caps%2C426&sr=8-4 You can go on Youtube and verify how well it works.

Probably the single biggest thing that'll reduce acidity is brewing at a lower, more controlled temperature. If you don't have one already, get a variable-temp kettle and try brewing at 180ish F. You can also get pH test strips on Amazon if you want to science the fuck out of it and actually measure the effect different brewing parameters have on the final acidity.

Upgrading from a blade grinder to burr grinder will help as well. Blade grinders smash the beans together, heating them up and causing them to roast a bit extra. Burr grinders also give you a much more consistent grind size, which will give you a more consistent brew. This is the one I have, but there are cheaper but still good options too.

I'm a card-carrying member of the cult of Aeropress if you want an alternative to your French press.

If you have a spare Tuesday, go down to Conduit Coffee on Westlake near the Fremont Bridge. They have a weekly open house where the owner talks shop and runs a coffee tasting. If you tell them you want low-acid coffee they could probably suggest some beans for you. They also do subscription deliveries by bicycle, which is how I get my beans.

Are you talking about those little jars? Not a fan.

We've found that marscapone will do in a pinch when I make fresh scones.

https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Hillary-Learned-Clothed-Female-ebook/dp/B01M7QMLUH/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8 not written by Bill and the description "Hard for Hillary: How I Learned to Love My Vote (Clothed Female Nude Male Book 1)" sounds kind of gay, not that there's anything wrong with that if that's your thing.

See, public shaming works!

For homemade budget "espresso," check out the Aeropress

Amazon has you covered.

It's Skid Road. That's what they called Yesler Way because they skidded the logs from First Hill down it to the sawmill past First Avenue.

Reading suggestion:

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Prince-Antoine-Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry/dp/0156012197

Whynter 14,000 BTU Dual Hose Portable Air Conditioner (ARC-14S) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0028AYQDC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vyP3Ab1CVV7ES

Edit: I've had this model for about 4 years now, and I've had zero issues.

The roll around one I have works with both horizontal and vertical sliding windows.

I got it because my apartment building doesn't allow us to have the box air conditioner units that stick out. The one I have has a vent hose that goes out any window. Comes with a bracket to seal off the open part of the window. here's the one I bought off of Amazon It's more expensive than it was last year apparently.

You had to go back and edit your post.

Sad. Not even trying anymore.

Look: I don’t have a problem with you deciding that your precious snowflake is to precious to go to school with ‘regular people’.

I do have a problem with you asking me to pay for it.

I’ll meet you halfway and spring for a set of these for you.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICCX410 Street Child, a memoir relating to those times. Worth reading.

It was ugly back then in ways that this nice web page doesn't show.

This actually made me look.

"Not sexy at all. The writing is all choppy and weird. I just couldn't get into it. I looked at the previews of all the other titles this Author has and the writing style is the same. Avoid!"

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1EYNW15TPNB8Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00P2SX76E

"Pure Garbage……all of this author's titles are a waste of money & time."

https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B00TKJBWQ8/ref=acr_search_see_all?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

"Great idea but poorly written and never finished a satisfying ending"

https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B00OGW2XRG/ref=acr_search_see_all?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

So far as I could scroll, there wasn't a single review above one star...