It's been a big year for both Tom Douglas and Dow Constantine, albeit in entirely different fields. They'll each take the stage at Civic Cocktail on Dec. 2 to talk about the strides they've made in the community.
While generally advocating for restaurant workers to receive better pay, Douglas, local chef and restaurateur, was originally opposed to Seattle's $15 minimum wage law. He will discuss how the new law has impacted the Seattle service industry and altered his business practices. Plus, he'll give the scoop on his new restaurant, The Carlile Room, and what's on the horizon for 2016. Douglas will answer questions from host Joni Balter, Savory Sweet Life's Alice Currah and Seattle Weekly's Food and Drink Editor Nicole Sprinkle.
Next up, King County Executive Dow Constantine will explain what the passage of the $350 million Best Starts for Kids levy means for King County. He also joined with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray to declare a state of emergency over homelessness in November. Plus, he's overseen or been a major part of big developments on transit, including a rebound in Metro bus services, implementation of a new low-fare discount card and planning for a new Sound Transit vote on service expansions. Controversy has swirled around the county's plans to build a new juvenile detention facility, a plan that activists see as playing into other societal failings to address young people's real needs. Crosscut's Joe Copeland and Real Change's Martha Tesema will join Balter for the discussion with Executive Constantine.
The doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Tom Douglas’ Palace Ballroom, and the program starts at 6 p.m. Tickets for the event, co-sponsored by Crosscut with Seattle Channel and Seattle City Club, are $20 for Crosscut or CityClub members, $25 for the general public and $25 at the door. You can register here. We hope to see you there, but if for some reason you can’t make it, you can catch the program later on the Seattle Channel.
Whether or not you can attend, here’s a quick guide to keep you well informed on this month’s hot issues and our two popular guests.
Tom Douglas:
"Seattle Kitchen" KIRO Radio
"Tom Douglas's Latest, the Carlile Room, is now open" Seattle Met, July 7
"Tom Douglas continues hit parade at Carlile Room" The Seattle Times, Nov. 19
Dow Constantine:
"County's proposed Best Starts for Kids levy, explained" Crosscut, Aug. 19
"Seattle, King County declare a state of emergency over homelessness" Crosscut, Nov. 2
"Activist groups ask Seattle to halt new county jail for youth," Seattle Times, Nov. 21.
"New Sound Transit CEO excited by big light-rail expansion plans," Seattle Times, Nov. 19.
"Dow Constantine issues executive order: We need full integration of bus and rail," The Urbanist, June 2014.
