It’s already the last week in May in Seattle’s East Precinct:

If you haven’t yet checked out the detailed descriptions of proposed ideas for the Kraus parks projects grant, the candidates are up on the Madrona Community Council site and also listed in the latest issue of the Madrona newsletter.

As we wrote about after the May community council meeting, longtime Madrona residents Martin and Mimi Kraus left $50,000 to the community to be used for parks and recreation. The council is currently considering the submitted grants (not all the money needs to be allocated at this time).

While only council members can vote on the final decision, they are accepting comments and feedback from the community. The vote will occur during a special 6:45pm session on Tuesday, June 1, 30 minutes prior to the normal meeting. That session, held at the Madrona Playfield shelter house at 34th Avenue and East Marion, will be open to the public.

The proposals:

• Harrison Ridge Improvement
• Art in Madrona Park
• Madrona Beach Restoration
• Children’s Gathering Fund & Indoor Toilet at Shelterhouse
• Madrona Woods Proposal
• Madrona Ravine South Slope Project
• Madrona Business District Enhancement
• 29th Avenue Street End Improvement

The Garden Tour yesterday was awesome. Saw so much cool stuff, met some new neighbors, and got to see the hard work of others that we already knew.

Apologies for not getting these out earlier, but the 6 mile marathon that we walked yesterday wore us out (and ran so long that it sadly caused us to miss the party with our Leschi friends at Flo Ware.)

Here’s to hoping there’s a 2011 Garden Tour too:

We’ve got a big CDnews group out on the Garden Tour. Stay tuned for live photos and updates along the way.

It all starts here at 23rd and Ubion where you can pick up your ticket and map.

El Mestizo announced Thursday that they will begin offering weekend brunch beginning 5/22/10.  Highlights of the breakfast menu will include “huevos a la mexicana, huevos rancheros and homemade tamales with atole”.  Atole is a porridge-like drink that typically includes masa (corn hominy flour), water, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, vanilla and sometimes chocolate or fruit.  

They will also offer chilaquiles.  Chilaquiles are crispy triangles of corn tortillas that are bathed in a red sauce and served with thinly sliced onions, queso fresco, cilantro and sometimes eggs.  They will offer the brunch from 8 am to 12 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

El Mestizo joins CDNews Sponsor Twilight Exit in launching a brunch offering this year.  Twilight Exit’s brunch is available from 10 am to  3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.   

El Mestizo, the Mexican restaurant on the corner of Broadway and James Street is now open for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 8am-12pm.  The new menu includes authentic Mexican breakfast dishes like:

Huevos a la Mexicana

Huevos Rancheros

Chilaquiles

Huarache with Chorizo and Huevos

Come check it out today if you are hungry and don’t feel like cooking!  Thanks to all the locals who keep coming back and making El Mestizo a success.

El Mestizo  526 Broadway  (206) 324-2445

It’s a crazy busy Saturday in the neighborhood, with all sorts of stuff to go check out:

10am – 12pm – Help your neighbors spruce up 12th Ave. The group will start off from Cal Anderson Park at 10am.

11am – 4pm – The Garden Tour starts at 11am at 23rd & Union. Tickets are $7, and get you full access to check out the work of all of the green-thumbs in the neighborhood. Stay tuned for live reports.

11am – 3pm – Need a new best friend? Neighborhood pet supply shop Immortal Dog (a CDNews sponsor) is hosting Salty Dog Rescue, looking for good homes for lots of furry little beasts. 

12pm  – 4pm – It’s Flo Ware Day in Leschi, featuring Thurston Muskelley’s famous BBQ, music, games, prizes, and lots of neighborhood spirit. The Leschi crew does a great job on these so make sure to check it out at 28th & Jackson.

1pm – 3pm – The 8th graders at Lake Washington Girls Middle School are performing two plays at Theatre Off Jackson. Suggested donation of $10.

8pm – 9pm – DASSdance continues their “ALL TERRAIN Dance Thriller” performances at Washington Hall

Remember, you get a free raffle ticket for your donation to NW Harvest collected tomorrow at the Garden Tour Ticket and Plant Sale. They need food between holidays, too!!

Our generous local raffle prizes include gift certificates from (in no particular order) Earl’s Cuts & Styles, Central Cinema, Cupcake Royale, Essential Bakery, EarthSystemsNW, and Zizi’s Variety Store plus Clean Greens’ greens!!, and a Garden Central planter. You may buy a raffle ticket for a whole dollar.

See you tomorrow at 23rd & Union between 11-4pm. GT10 tickets $7 Day of Tour.

Editors note: CDNews will be out with live coverage of the Garden Tour. We’ll see you out there!

Week 2 of the Madrona Farmers market brings a couple vendors who couldn’t make it last week and even more fresh produce. From the official press release from the Seattle Farmers Market Association, today you’ll see:

• asparagus from Alvarez Farms
• head lettuce from Stoney Plains
• fresh mozzarella from Golden Glen Creamery
• the debut of Los Agaves, a Mexican food stand – I tasted their horchata at the Queen Anne Farmers Market yesterday and it is some of the best I’ve ever had.

The 4-5pm cooking demonstration this week will be by Chef Angela Toner of Personal Chef Angela.

Last week’s season opening was well-attended- check out local blogger Beth Shepherd’s writeup on Wanderlust and Lipstick for a nice recap.

Happy Friday and Bike To Work Day from Seattle’s East Precinct: