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🐹 The Circus of Doom 🎪🎪

🐹 The Circus of Doom 🎪🎪

October 09, 2024

Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Wednesday update from The Hamster Wheel.

Big changes are afoot at The Hamster Wheel. Yes already, and yes, we know this is only the second edition. According to our dedicated readers, the public school section was not helpful. Okay, we get it; you already know if your kid needs to attend school or not 😛. So, we’ve sent the B’ham Schools section packing and added Bingo and Trivia Night locations! Way better. Have fun and be safe out there Hamsters.

~ Val & Evan

In today’s Hamster Wheel:

Pooping at the Pump Track
The Beastly Frightful Unspeakably Spooky Circus of Doom
Food & Drink
Music & Nightlife

Weather Forecast

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

Chester (Dogo Argentino). North Bellingham sky. - 📷️ Photo by Randall Scott Book

Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

The Waterfront Update You Didn’t Know You Wanted 🚢

The long-delayed and drama-ridden, bright orange condo development project across from the pump track may finally be completed this coming year. The developer, Harcourt Developments, has applied for permits from the city to continue work. This would be the same Harcourt that is suing, and being sued by, the Port of Bellingham.

Gotta poop at the pump track? The City of Bellingham’s got you covered with a fancy newish “Portland Loo” potty near the Acid Ball. We snooped… pretty modern. We sniffed… a little fragrant but not terrible. We sat… seriously ventilated!! Joking aside, we’re glad to see public facilities go in around town.

SeaFeast may be over, but Seafood is never out of season at our house. In researching the latest waterfront gossip, I bumped into two enticing seafood cooking resources with recipes like 'Just for the Halibut' Bacon-Wrapped Sliders, and Battered Sea Cucumber Tacos.

A Halloween Nautical Nightmare: The Circus of Doom Takes to the Stage

The Bellingham Circus Guild is hosting its 7th annual Halloween spectacular, The Beastly Frightful Unspeakably Spooky Circus of Doom, an oceanic adventure of epic proportions running from October 24th to 31st at The Cirque Lab in Fairhaven.

Attendees can expect hilarious tricksters, death-defying acrobatics, mesmerizing juggling, enchanting dance, and thrilling aerial performances that will both spook and amaze.

“The centerpiece of this year's performance is the fearless ocean explorer Captain AFAB, who navigates both the depths of controversial man-made islands and his own complicated soul.”

Tickets are available for both the all-ages shows and the 21+ Cabaret. The Circus Guild suggests purchasing tickets early, as these shows sell out quickly.

A Spooky Walk & Pub Run

Join the Good Time Girls today (October 9th), from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for the Buried BellingHistory - Bayview Cemetery Tour a two-hour guided walking tour of Bayview Cemetery, founded in 1887. Explore historic monuments and hear intriguing stories of those laid to rest, while strolling through mostly paved paths with a few unpaved trails. Admission is $30. When we last checked there were three tickets left.

Tomorrow (October 10th) at 6:00 PM, BBay Running is hosting a Pub Run to Structures. Choose between a 9.0k (5.6 mi) run or a shorter 7.5k (4.7 mi) route. The run will navigate Whatcom Creek Trail, downtown streets, and a loop through Zuanich Park before finishing at Structures on Holly St. Close out the evening with fellow runners over drinks at Structures. Details.

When You Realize You’re Not Prepared at All

October 17th is Washington’s ShakeOut day for earthquake preparedness, which, for this hamster at least, is a reminder of how woefully underprepared I am. If an earthquake hits us, I’m pretty sure we won’t starve—I have accumulated a pantry full of protein powder and supplements (mostly expired; those dates are suggestions, right?).

While researching this article, I found a few gems—manageable steps that even I could handle.

Get to Know Your Neighbors 🧑‍🤝‍🧑: Knowing who lives nearby can help create a support system for when things get tough. Who knows? You might be the most stable person on the block—or at least have the most protein powder.

Keep Your Gas Tank at Least 50% Full ⛽️: This one hit me hard. Will I meet this goal? Probably not. The idea of being stuck with no way to charge my phone or keep warm will make me keep an eye on the gas tank. It’s a baby step, but it’s something.

Learn to Forage 🍄: Okay, this one’s just for fun and maybe to keep the anxiety about disaster at bay. Buy a field guide to Washington plants or mushrooms and hit a local trail. We’ll cover some fun mushroom resources in an upcoming edition.

Local Business Updates

Haggling With Local Folk

While we’re getting organized around our Local Business updates content, we’ve decided to highlight a few of our favorite local businesses over the next few weeks. We value these companies because we believe in their products or services and because extraordinary local entrepreneurs own them.

Gabriel’s Art Kids & Robert Williams School

Our kids had the fortune to join a fantastic community here in Bellingham through Gabriel’s amazing preschool, after-school, and summertime art programs. Most recently, our son Ausencio found a family of like-minded creative souls when he joined Gabriel’s full-time elementary program, the Robert Williams School of Arts and Sciences.

It won’t surprise anyone that the public school program, while great for many, is not a fit for all. And as a parent, there’s nothing more frightening than watching a child slowly fall through the cracks. Gabriel’s team at Robert Williams swooped in when we needed it most, rebuilding confidence and a deep sense of belonging that had begun to wane.

We are constantly impressed with the entire GAK and RWSAS team, but we hold a special place in our hearts for Jen Lindstrom, who has shown more patience and nurture than we knew was possible from any teacher. You rock, Jen!!

In summery, GAK is phenomenal, and RWSAS is a bloody godsend!

Food & Drinks

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Wednesday Food Trucks
Ah! Chihuahua @ Trackside Portal Village
Big Stick Barbecue @ Stemma Brewery
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Dumpling Girls @ Goods Local Brews
El Pollo Feo @ Kulshan Brewery (Roosevelt K2)
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Greektown @ Closed
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
New Public Vegan @ Closed
Outpost Eats @ Kulshan Brewery (James St. K1)
Rain or Shine Riviera Club @ Trackside Portal Village
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)
Tam Tam Pizza @ Closed
The Galley @ 6069 Hannegan Rd

Thursday Food Trucks
Ah! Chihuahua @ Trackside Portal Village
Big Stick Barbecue @ Stemma Brewery
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Dumpling Girls @ Goods Local Brews
El Pollo Feo @ Kulshan Brewery (Roosevelt K2)
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Greektown @ Kulshan Brewery (James St. K1)
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
New Public Vegan @ Closed
Outpost Eats @ Closed
Rain or Shine Riviera Club @ Trackside Portal Village
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)
Tam Tam Pizza @ Lost Giants Cider Co.
The Galley @ 6069 Hannegan Rd

Music & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Wednesday Games & Trivia
Bingo @ Corner Taphouse | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Flatstick Pub | 7 PM & 8 PM
Trivia Night @ Roosevelt Taproom | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ CHeBA Hut | 7 PM

Thursday Games & Trivia
Dungeons & Dragons @ CHeBA Hut | 6 PM
Trivia Night @ Stones Throw Brewery | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Great Northern Bottle Shop | 7 PM

Hakuna matata

To All Our Readers

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Have a great Wednesday!!