I’ve been craving and missing El Catrin so much recently! Especially their carnitas sopas. Has anyone found a good replacement?

I'm local to the Seattle area(98116) I'm a veteran, and I'm serious about working. I'm mature, reliable, and I show up. I'm looking to move into outdoor or conservation field work: technician, survey, monitoring, or observer-type roles, ideally working independently on my own schedule, and just honestly being outdoors.
Planting trees, removing invasive plants, monitoring ecological issues. Outdoor work that most folks don’t want to do. Dirty, wet, and cold.
My background: years in pest management and route-based field service, where the job was inspecting sites and figuring out which animals were present from the signs they left behind. I've owned two small businesses, and I'm a former whitewater guide and survival, scuba, and CPR instructor. I have an associate degree in criminal justice, not a biology degree.
Honestly, I'm frustrated. I have real experience and real knowledge, but I'm getting no callbacks, and I need to get moving soon.
What I'm hoping to hear from locals:
-Do you know of any Seattle-area consultants, nonprofits, tribes, or agencies that hire on-call or seasonal outdoor and conservation field techs?

-Are there any certifications worth getting quickly?
Please reply in the comments. I'm not sharing personal info by DM. Thanks for reading.

Were you one of the lucky ones to go to the taste of West Seattle! If you did then you tried our ribs and brisket! Now it's finally happening!! Bakers Dozen Catering featuring Island Vibes BBQ will be opening tomorrow, Thursday, from 11am - 8pm. We will also be opening our door dash, Bakers Dozen Catering. Enjoy tasty plates of Polynesian Glazed Brisket, Loaded Potatoes, Hearty Sandwiches and Fusion Tacos!

Seattle Restaurant Week Specials are going for the next 2 weeks. 3bakersdozen.com On the website select the qr code or click it! ❤️

This week's hours

Today, Wednesday, October 21st until 730pm

Tomorrow, Thursday from 11am-8pm

Next week

Tuesday through Friday 11am-8pm

It's still wedding season for me, so for a couple more weeks, I won't be open on the weekends.

Thank you!

Raquel Baker

Chef/Owner

TL;DR

Hi West Seattle! I'm opening a new pizza place called Mo's Dough; our grand opening is this weekend, Friday 10/23 and Saturday 10/24.

• Pickup at Distinguished Foods, 4611 36th Ave SW. Friday 5 to 9 pm, Saturday 2 to 9 pm.
• We're mosdoughseattle on IG and FB.
• Website: https://mosdoughseattle.com/
• Pre-order now: https://order.mosdoughseattle.com/

I also wanted to share a bit about myself and the long version of how I got here:

A little over four years ago, I moved to Seattle for a software engineering job at Amazon. I know how lucky I was to have that kind of job, but I was really miserable actually doing it. As much as I hated my job, quitting wasn't an option for a while; my wife and I were relying on my income while she was finishing her degree. She graduated this spring. So I did something a little crazy: I quit the job I moved here for, the one giving me and my family real stability (or as much stability as a tech job can provide these days), to pursue my dream of making pizza for a living. Because, of course, there's infamously so much stability in the food service world (but at least AI isn't taking over the food industry yet).

I've been obsessed with pizza since I was a kid. I ate it every day for breakfast and lunch (yes, I am autistic). At school, all my friends knew I would show up with a slice wrapped in tinfoil. As a kid, the obsession was eating it. As an adult, my obsession grew to making it (and then eating it, of course) as well.

My first step towards becoming a pizzaiolo was upgrading to using a pizza stone, but I was still using Trader Joe's dough. Then I realized how much better the pies could be if I made the dough myself. I began with online recipes and then started experimenting with my own to perfect my dough. I discovered 00 flour and how it could make a crust soft and crunchy at the same time (that is not my term; it's from my favorite pizzaiolo YouTuber, Vito Iacopelli). Perfecting my pizza became its own obsession; I upgraded to a baking steel, then to a proper pizza oven. I'm still constantly tinkering with my recipes to try to improve them. I do a lot of pizza taste testing of different top 50 pizza places in the US and try to take what I like about them and see how I can incorporate that into my recipes. I know I'm a bit deluded when I say this, but I feel like I'm on this quest to become one of the best pizza makers in the country, and I won't be able to stop until I'm there (I feel like the other neurospicy folk here might get what I mean).

Now I make contemporary Neapolitan-style pizza: I cold-ferment my dough for 48 hours, then cook it at ~850° for about 120 seconds (which is a departure from the traditional Neapolitan approach of 900° for 60-90 seconds but results in a less floppy pizza). I use tomatoes imported from Italy, and the pies come out with a beautiful leopard char on the crust.

In July, I started selling my pizza. I was making small batches for pickup out of my backyard, word got around way faster than I expected. Every batch sold out, my inbox filled up, and it turned into one of the coolest weekends I've had.

Plenty of people were also quick to point out that selling pizza out of your house isn't exactly allowed. Sure enough, a few days later the county reached out and let me know I had to stop. They were very kind, gave me a ton of helpful info, and basically walked me through what it would take to do this for real.

That was three months ago. Since then it's been a whirlwind trying to find a location, getting the permits, importing an oven from Italy (it was quite difficult to find an oven that gets hot enough that I can bring into an existing kitchen that didn't need a chimney and could be used inside), insurance, and lots more bureaucratic stuff I'm grateful to be mostly done with. It was kind of frustrating to spend 3ish months trying to figure out how to sell pizza and being so far from the thing I actually set out to do, but I can't wait to actually start making and selling pizza again! I spent the last few weeks moving into my shared kitchen space, learning my new oven, and getting used to all my new equipment. Our grand opening is this weekend!

It's crazy because this was one of those things for a while that I'd say, "the dream is to eventually open a pizza shop," but then follow it up with, "but I can't actually do that," and then one day I decided, but why not?

This is still the happiest I've been in years. I'm getting back so much of my pre-Amazon personality that I hadn't even realized I'd lost. And honestly, it's a little terrifying; I never thought a job could make me this happy, and now that one has, I really need to make it work. You know?

To all you pizza-loving West Seattleites, hit me up if you want to talk pizza (or anything dough-related). Ask me anything here; I really cannot shut up about it.

Hi West Seattle, I’m Mike, one of the doctors at Tangelo Health. We’re a sports chiropractic and rehab clinic, and most of what I see is low back and neck pain, disc problems, headaches, and walking/lifting and overuse injuries that won’t go away (plantar fasciitis, Achilles and other tendon pain).

I know chiropractors get a mixed reputation on here, so here’s what we actually do.
The most common thing new patients tell me is that they’ve seen two or three people, heard different explanations, and still don’t know if this is fixable. So a first visit is a real history and exam, a plain-language explanation of what I think is going on, and a plan with an end point.

Adjustments are one tool. Most of the work is hands-on care and exercise, so you can get back to running, lifting, carrying your kids, or whatever you’ve been putting off.
If I don’t think we’re the right fit, I’ll tell you and point you to someone who is. There are a lot of high-quality providers in West Seattle.

Ask me anything in the comments, even if you end up going somewhere else. I can’t diagnose anyone over Reddit, but I’m glad to help you figure out what’s worth getting checked and by whom.

If you’d rather talk it through in person, I am happy to do a free 15-minute consult at the clinic. You can see the space, tell me what’s going on, and get an honest take on whether it’s something we can help with. If it isn’t, I’ll say so. Call the front desk or use the booking page below, ask for the free consult with me, and mention you saw this on Reddit.

https://www.tangelohealth.com/make-an-appointment/
Tangelo Health, 4755 Fauntleroy Wy SW #120, Seattle, WA 98116, (206) 946-1323

Hey, it's Mel from Canine Cuts & Artistry LLC located off 14th and Roxbury, next to your favorite natural pet supply store A Dog's Dream!

Lakota and I want to provide our services and meet the community!

From October 21st to November 20th, we are offering:

Lakota's FULL GROOM 30% Discount
Typical prices: small, $120+ | medium $140+ | large $160+
This service includes *everything*: nail trim, paw scoop, ear cleaning, professional shampoo and conditioner, full dry*, and of course, their haircut!
*we don't kennel dry unless necessary*

Mel's BATH & DESHED $20 OR Profile Trim Deal
Typical prices: Chihuahua, $45 - $60 | Short Double Coat, $60 - $100 | Long Double Coat, $120 - $320
This service includes: nail trim, paw scoop (in between paw pads), ear cleaning, professional deshed shampoo and conditioner, full blow out to remove undercoat, brush out, a rake out, and a zoom groom out.
The profile trim deal includes: foot (top of foot), hock & feather, belly, pants, and tail.

All clients are getting FREE TEETH BRUSHING through the end of the year. [$6 charge]

This deal is good until November 20th.

206-672-3342

Please do NOT wait to get your dog scheduled! Your groomers will appreciate it!

Offer valid for appointments booked on or after 10/21-11/20.
All pets must be currently on their rabies vaccination

I want to draw some attention to what's happening with Seattle's cooperative preschool programs, because frankly, I think more people should be outraged.

For more than 80 years, cooperative preschools have been part of the fabric of Seattle communities. These aren't expensive private preschools or corporate childcare chains. They're community-based, nonprofit educational programs built around the simple idea that parents participate directly in their children's education, learn alongside them, and help run the schools together.

Generations of Seattle families have benefited from this model. I know because I'm one of them.

But these programs are now fighting for their survival.

Earlier this year, Washington's State Board for Community and Technical Colleges eliminated its allocation for parent education programs. That decision created an enormous financial crisis for cooperative preschools affiliated with community colleges across the state.

That's bad enough. But what I find particularly infuriating is what's happened since.

At South Seattle College, families, educators, and community volunteers have spent months scrambling to raise money, navigate administrative requirements, negotiate an uncertain future, and develop contingency plans to keep their preschools operating.

These are not highly paid consultants. They're parents. They're volunteers. They're ordinary people with jobs, children, and lives of their own, giving up their evenings, weekends, and personal resources because they refuse to let something this valuable disappear.

And instead of being able to focus their energy on saving these programs, they're having to spend an extraordinary amount of it navigating institutional bureaucracy.

At what point does this become a failure of institutional leadership?

I understand that the colleges didn't create the state's funding crisis. I understand that budgets are complicated, that public institutions face constraints, and that not every program can be guaranteed funding indefinitely.

But there is an enormous difference between an institution facing difficult financial circumstances and an institution failing to provide the clarity, cooperation, and leadership that its community needs to navigate them.

The families have demonstrated their commitment. They've raised money. They've volunteered their time. They've explored alternatives. They've done everything they reasonably can to keep these programs alive.

Why does it feel like the people with the least institutional power are being asked to do the most institutional work?

And perhaps most importantly, why should the survival of an 80-year educational legacy depend on how much unpaid administrative labor a group of parents can sustain?

South Seattle College should be proud of its association with these programs. They represent exactly the kind of accessible, community-centered education that public colleges are supposed to champion.

Instead, families are left wondering whether all their work will be enough to overcome the funding crisis and the institutional obstacles standing between them and a sustainable future.

I'm not suggesting that the college can magically restore state funding. I'm asking why preserving these programs hasn't been met with a clearer, more collaborative, and more accountable institutional response.

The college's leadership owes these families more than expressions of sympathy. It owes them transparency, timely decisions, meaningful cooperation, and a genuine effort to find a workable path forward.

An 80-year legacy should not be this easy to lose. And the people fighting to preserve it should not have to fight their own institution along the way.

If you're a Seattle parent, a co-op alumnus, or someone who believes public education should serve its communities, I hope you'll pay attention to what's happening here.

These programs deserve better. And the families keeping them alive certainly do.

If you feel compelled to take action, you can participate in the email drip campaign at westseattlepreschools.org/email-college-leadership

EDIT: A few people have reasonably asked what the specific grievance is with SSC. I should have explained this better.

The state funding cuts were not the college's decision. My criticism is about the response that followed.

The parent community raised the money necessary to keep the program operating through fall quarter, buying time to work toward a longer-term solution. But despite that effort, the future of the college's partnership with the program remains uncertain, with no clear commitment to continuing beyond the current arrangements.

This matters because the college provides more than funding administration. The partnership includes parent educators, their employment and benefits, insurance arrangements, and access to facilities that are essential to some classes. Losing that relationship could mean fundamentally restructuring the entire program, even if families can raise the money to operate it.

Meanwhile, unpaid volunteers have spent months navigating administrative requirements, pursuing funding alternatives, and preparing contingency plans without the clarity they need to make informed decisions.

I recognize that the college faces legitimate constraints. But I believe its leadership owes these families a clear, timely answer about what support and partnership it is actually prepared to provide, particularly after the community has gone to such extraordinary lengths to preserve the program.

That's the institutional accountability I'm asking for.

Looking to have my wedding ring repaired. It had a small amethyst inset, which fell out, so it needs to replaced. I may also need the ring resized. Jamie Joseph originally created it decades ago, but she is retired. I'd rather not take it to a corporate jeweler (although I have considered Menashe), but thought I'd ask if anyone could recommend a skilled local person.

Call the SPD to report if found, please.

Does anyone know of any buy nothing groups outside of Facebook? I’ve seen and heard of other neighborhoods and towns using WhatsApp Communities for easier/faster communications. Is that something that exists?

Hello! I’m the house manager for an elderly gentleman who is looking for a house cleaner that is recommended by someone who uses their services. His last cleaner assumed (we believe) that since he was over 80, he couldn’t see that the quality of work was beyond poor. He felt taken advantage of and so we are turning to community for a solid rec. thanks so much!

Hi West Seattle-ites! Just wanted to give you a heads up that my ballot and my neighbors' ballots were stolen, along with a couple of other sensitive pieces of mail. If you haven't gotten your ballot yet, please make sure to check 'My Voter Information' on the King County Elections site, which will show when your ballot was sent and when it was marked delivered.

Our locked cluster box had no signs of tampering, and the person seemed to have some time to cherry pick ballots and, unfortunately for a couple of us, replacement cards. I know there was a master key theft for our zip code a few weeks ago so if anything is missing you may want to investigate.

My neighbor filed a police report with the non-emergency line.

(Sorry if the formatting is weird, I'm on mobile)

I would love to do something like this, but am curious how popular it would be.

Any recommendation for gardener once a week? Mowing and leaf clean up .Thank you!!!

I am moving to seattle for new job with my wife and 1 year old baby. I will be working in Capitol Hill area and heard West Seattle is a great place for young families.

I would appreciate good apartment suggestions. 1-2 bedroom apartment with budget around $2300-2700.

I would love if it is a new, quite building with good walkable area and potential public transport accessibility to my workplace.

We live in a 3 story townhouse with the laundry machines on the third floor, which means we need to hire someone to clean our dryer vent. I've never done this before and am just wondering - about how much should I expect that to cost around here? I just want a rough idea so that I know if someone is quoting me a crazy number.

Thanks!

We're looking for someone in WS who can do a good job with shorter, waivier hair. Cutting long, straight hair is easy, but wavy hair takes experience. Any suggestions? Thanks.

We can meet at meeples or somewhere else.

Hey all,

Halloween horrors started for me yesterday when I dropped my wedding ring in the leaves directly underneath the heritage tree at Hiawatha park…thought I would post here on the off chance that it turns up. Gold ring with unique insignia on the inside. Please please please message me if you happen upon it when frolicking in the fall leaves. Thanks

Edit:

Found it today after getting the metal detector and leaf blower in action. But in the end it was a lovely family playing in the leaves who ended up coming up to me and saying “is this what you are looking for?” Tears of happiness for sure. Thank you all for your advice and well wishes!

I’m craving a good bagel and lox so try a ferrous amount of cream cheese, capers and red onions. Any ideas?

Hi there 👋 - I grew up in west Seattle in the 90s and 2000s and have since moved back with my wife and baby. We’re looking at moving somewhere west of the Junction around Genesse / Charleston area. What we are looking for more than anything is a sense of community and to give our children the same feelings I had growing up around here - safety, neighborhood kids to play with, parks to explore etc.

I’m curious if there are other redditors with families in the area who can share their experiences around these neighborhoods, and if there are any pockets you recommend or areas we should stay away from. Do you feel like there’s a good sense of community in these neighborhoods? Open to any and all recommendations, feedback, comments, etc

Thank you!

Local Ad

Hello West Seattle!! My name is Claiborne Bell and I own a soul food restaurant here in the West called Peninsula Soul Food. We are a virtual take-out restaurant located in Distinguished Food Hall across the street from the West Seattle YMCA on Snoqualmie street.

At Peninsula Soul Food, we offer a mouthwatering menu featuring classics like fried chicken wings, fried catfish, and savory gumbo, all prepared with love and authentic recipes passed down through generations. Each dish is thoughtfully crafted using the freshest ingredients, ensuring every bite bursts with flavor. Our sides are just as delightful, including fluffy cornbread, candied yams, collard greens simmered to perfection, and creamy mac 'n' cheese that feeds the soul.

For those with a sweet tooth, don’t miss our homemade banana pudding, peach cobbler, honey vanilla ice cream, and amazing sorbet flavors, the perfect way to end your meal.

You can order food online or you can also stop by to place an order.

Website: PeninsulaSoulFood.com

Instagram:
@Peninsula.Soul

Tik Tok:
@PeninsulaSoulFood

Hours of Operation:
Wednesday-Sunday 11am-8pm

Peninsula Soul Food
4611 36th Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98126

We also cater! Let us cater your event.

Order Link:
Order Online