Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

x close
The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

One Government Expenditure You Might Not Know About

News   December 23, 2009 at 1:26 pm Chris Kissel

Thurston4

1. It’s not too late to go see The Fantastic Mr. Fox. It’s enjoyable in the way Wes Anderson films always are—the endearing neuroses of his characters, the regular cast (especially Owen Wilson), and, most of all, the near-obsessive attention to the details of design.

Anderson doesn’t abandon any of these trademarks for this, an animated movie about the neuroses of burrowing mammals—and it works better than in any of Anderson’s movies since The Royal Tenenbaums.

Still showing at the Majestic Bay, Columbia City Cinema, Meridian 16, and Metro Cinemas.

2. One government expenditure you might not know about—according to the city, this year Seattle City Light purchased 86 visual art pieces, including sculptures, paintings, video and installation art, and photography.

The city mandates that one percent of the budget of all eligible construction projects go toward purchasing art—and this year, City Light bought these 86 pieces, which totaled about $116,789 all together.

Most of that collection is currently displayed in city offices, but about a third of it is currently on display in the gallery of the Municipal Tower downtown. (The next and last third will go on display starting in January.)

From what I’ve seen, it’s good. It’s hard to find links to all the individual artists (and anyway, there are 17 in this exhibition), (its helpful to scroll through this) but I’m convinced by the clouds made of riveted steel and plastic, and the floating monorail hanging over a Godzilla on strings, that the collection is a little more interesting than your average office space watercolor.

The gallery is open from now til Dec. 31, Monday through Friday only, at the Seattle Municipal Tower (700 Fifth Avenue). Free.

3. Eating out on Christmas is apparently something you do if you have a lot of money—it’s classy stuff. There’s a traditional Christmas Eve dinner at the Artisanal Brasserie & Wine Bar, a cheese-centric fine dining restaurant that opened in September—that dinner is $58.

At the Union (whose web site brags that their head chef “conducts his culinary orchestra nightly”) there’s a “spectacular five-course Christmas Eve feast”—and that’s $100.

Most cheaper places won’t be open on Christmas. But for those who have to eat out, I would suggest heading to the 5 Point Cafe—they have a $20 ham & yams dinner and a $25 prime rib dinner. I can’t speak to their food, but you’re eating out on Christmas–why not hang out at a dive bar?

415 Cedar St. (at 4th Ave.) (206) 448-9993

Know about any important meetings, rad shows, weirdo lectures, or other noteworthy events? E-mail chris@publicola.net.


  • the working class

    yes $110K for art when we are cutting busses, health care, animal control, education, is well worth it. The masses have been pouring into the Municipal Tower to see this art, the lines are so long you can’t get in, and on everyone’s lips is the phrase “THANK you for spending our money on this, even though I can’t pay for a doctor my soul is uplifted by these classic works of art which are surely the equal of Van Gogh!”

  • the working class

    yes $110K for art when we are cutting busses, health care, animal control, education, is well worth it. The masses have been pouring into the Municipal Tower to see this art, the lines are so long you can’t get in, and on everyone’s lips is the phrase “THANK you for spending our money on this, even though I can’t pay for a doctor my soul is uplifted by these classic works of art which are surely the equal of Van Gogh!”

  • the working class

    ” City Light bought these 86 pieces, which totaled about $116,789 all together. Most of that collection is currently displayed in city offices, but about a third of it is currently on display in the gallery of the Municipal Tower downtown. (The next and last third will go on display starting in January.)”

    Glad to know city light bills are funding art for city workers.

    And in addition to the acquisition cost, of course, we will have the art shuffling budget as one third is recylced into the public viewing area every few weeks.

    Oh, then where will this precious art go?

    Maybe Germany will steal it, or maybe we can give it to Egypt to compensate for that Nefertittie bust….clearly the one showing homeless shopping carts is desinted to be a classic, probably Germany will put it in the Berlin museum.

  • Mikos

    The city council approved at 13-plus percent increase in City Light rates. Common sense would seem to entail some cuts to 1% for art. I guess there is very little common sense on the council, however.

  • Mikos

    The city council approved at 13-plus percent increase in City Light rates. Common sense would seem to entail some cuts to 1% for art. I guess there is very little common sense on the council, however.

  • S. Chu Fauxart

    You can get Picasso reproduction for about $12, and tack them up with little push pins.

    They’re actually better art than this stuff in this exhibit.

    (4…3..2…1…”Ah, but you don’t get it, it’s the unpopularity of the art that proves its worth! You philistine!”

    actually surprised didn’t get a reaction already, the recession must really be hitting home some basic common sense! Clearly $111K in light bulb subsidies to encourage replaing old style bulbs would have ben better…but however, our own city council declined to participate in the free program to do that, so when Lowe’s was handing out $15 free couchers for new little table lamps, you were not allowed to get them if you were a resident of Seattle!)

  • S. Chu Fauxart

    You can get Picasso reproduction for about $12, and tack them up with little push pins.

    They’re actually better art than this stuff in this exhibit.

    (4…3..2…1…”Ah, but you don’t get it, it’s the unpopularity of the art that proves its worth! You philistine!”

    actually surprised didn’t get a reaction already, the recession must really be hitting home some basic common sense! Clearly $111K in light bulb subsidies to encourage replaing old style bulbs would have ben better…but however, our own city council declined to participate in the free program to do that, so when Lowe’s was handing out $15 free couchers for new little table lamps, you were not allowed to get them if you were a resident of Seattle!)

  • Algernon

    There are LOTS of restaurants open on Xday, most in the ID. Ask Josh. He knows how it works.

  • Algernon

    There are LOTS of restaurants open on Xday, most in the ID. Ask Josh. He knows how it works.

  • jone

    i just love the faux populism demonstrated here. since when is art the exclusive domain of the rich? and why shouldn’t the public purse be used to purchase art? the expenditures by the federal government on art in the 30′s and 40′s spurred innovation and beauty that we still have with us today. for example, the mural that is currently displayed in West Seattle High and was a WPA project.

  • jone

    i just love the faux populism demonstrated here. since when is art the exclusive domain of the rich? and why shouldn’t the public purse be used to purchase art? the expenditures by the federal government on art in the 30′s and 40′s spurred innovation and beauty that we still have with us today. for example, the mural that is currently displayed in West Seattle High and was a WPA project.

  • Seattle Resident

    @1 et al:

    First off: Art = jobs. That’s a lot of people being paid for their work, which means food on the table, rent paid, and a real doctor’s appointment rather than an emergency room visit. Art and music is one of Seattle’s strongest areas of economic development.

    (What’s stupid is that City Light is not also paying for the promotion necessary to help further its public benefit of the 1% for art program. Thanks, Publicola for helping with that.)

    Secondly: Hundreds of members of the public are in the Municipal Building every day – getting permits, going to meetings, getting bus passes, whatever. The message they get is: You matter enough to give a crap about the experience you have with government.

    And lastly, get off your high horse! Art is fun, lasting, and can add something meaningful in a sea of stuff you can see any where else in any place. This stuff is ours to enjoy and we should take advantage of it.

  • Seattle Resident

    @1 et al:

    First off: Art = jobs. That’s a lot of people being paid for their work, which means food on the table, rent paid, and a real doctor’s appointment rather than an emergency room visit. Art and music is one of Seattle’s strongest areas of economic development.

    (What’s stupid is that City Light is not also paying for the promotion necessary to help further its public benefit of the 1% for art program. Thanks, Publicola for helping with that.)

    Secondly: Hundreds of members of the public are in the Municipal Building every day – getting permits, going to meetings, getting bus passes, whatever. The message they get is: You matter enough to give a crap about the experience you have with government.

    And lastly, get off your high horse! Art is fun, lasting, and can add something meaningful in a sea of stuff you can see any where else in any place. This stuff is ours to enjoy and we should take advantage of it.

  • the working class

    ” City Light bought these 86 pieces, which totaled about $116,789 all together. Most of that collection is currently displayed in city offices, but about a third of it is currently on display in the gallery of the Municipal Tower downtown. (The next and last third will go on display starting in January.)”

    Glad to know city light bills are funding art for city workers.

    And in addition to the acquisition cost, of course, we will have the art shuffling budget as one third is recylced into the public viewing area every few weeks.

    Oh, then where will this precious art go?

    Maybe Germany will steal it, or maybe we can give it to Egypt to compensate for that Nefertittie bust….clearly the one showing homeless shopping carts is desinted to be a classic, probably Germany will put it in the Berlin museum.