family_funI had lunch today at “Dog in the Park,” one of the best outdoor dining establishments in Seattle. One window, one grill, and a cluster of umbrella-shaded picnic tables on prime downtown turf: the east side of Westlake Park. From my excellent table, I had a ringside view of the children’s play area, the waterfall wall and the busy intersection of Fourth and Pine. My chicken, feta and spinach dog with peppers and onions was grilled to perfection. It cost me five dollars plus tip. If you’re after traditional pork or beef dogs, they have those too. Veggie, vegan? Naturally. It may be a one-item menu, but “Dog in the Park” has a dog for everyone.

But this is not a restaurant review. This is a park story. Westlake Park is not just a busy downtown crossroads. It is, in fact, a city park. It has its own Seattle Park District web page, which lists its size as 0.1 acres. It also has its own Office of Arts & Culture web page, on which you can learn all about artist Robert Maki’s 1988 design for Westlake, which features paving stones in a Salish basket-weave pattern, a Roman-inspired stone archway and a 64-foot, double wall of water that you can walk through on a steel walkway.

Sitting in the park, with a tasty grilled hot dog, is much better than reading about it. As I ate, I watched a few kids plinking on a pink piano, one of the “Pianos in the Parks” that have popped up all logo-pianosintheparksover Seattle this summer. I watched a half dozen younger kids scramble on the geodesic jungle gym and the shiny aluminum balls. I watched the parents and grandparents who were watching all the children, some of whom occasionally drifted down to the south end of the park to see how the games were going on the giant chessboards. The sun was as summer-bright as it could be, but there was a delicious breeze cooling us all.

It’s all pretty wonderful, especially if, like me, you can actually remember what things looked like before 1988. Before this one-tenth of an acre became a park paved in a basket pattern. In 1982, when I moved back to Seattle after eight years away, Westlake had a post-apocalyptic feel. I remember gaping holes and plywood with graffiti on it, which gave way at some point to screeching jackhammers and scaffolding everywhere. I remember this going on for years.

I’ll tell you the truth: it wasn’t until I got home after my hot dog that I looked up online and learned that Westlake is a city park. It made me happy to learn that it is. Because on August 5th, Seattle 10295774_1453094438270155_5810437079417490514_nresidents have a chance to vote to provide stable funding for all our parks, including tiny Westlake. If we can pass Proposition 1, Seattle, we’ll be protecting what has become a very sweet spot in the heart of the city. It’s only one tenth of one acre out of the 6200 acres in our park system. But it is probably the only park where you can buy a grilled-to-order lunch and eat it while taking in the ever-stimulating spectacle of downtown life.

On Tuesday nights, you could have your hot dog and then do a little ballroom dancing in Westlake Park. There are occasional concerts, too. Political rallies and parades pass through pretty regularly.

And because it’s a park, it’s ours. Just like Rainier is our mountain and Alki, Lincoln and Golden Gardens are our saltwater beaches, Westlake is our own protected bit of downtown real estate. Check it out. Try a hot dog. And mail that ballot.

Her_Beautiful_BrainSave the date for the Her Beautiful Brain book launch: 3pm, September 7, at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle. You can pre-order now from Elliott Bay, Powell’s Books, or the large or small bookseller of your choice.

 

Radio lovers: you can hear the Restless Nest commentaries every Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. on KBCS, streaming online at kbcs.fm and on the air at 91.3 in the Seattle area. http://kbcs.fm/listen/podcasts/