Project 9 Brewing Company

2/13/24 Project 9 Brewing Co.

First we got Macrina, a premium bakery. Now Maple Leaf has a brewery that opened just a few months ago and is already a nominee for USA Today’s best new brewery of the year. Maple Leaf is finally on the culinary map!

Originally a gas station, the property now occupied by Project 9 Brewing Company has been at least a couple of other auto service businesses (including one that installed the security system on my Miata years ago). From the exterior, it still very much looks like it should be pumping gas (I plan to sketch it when the weather warms up), but the interior is spacious and probably has good natural light in the daytime.

Meeting a friend there in the evening, I didn’t get to see the light, but I caught this quick sketch of other patrons and one of several TVs on the wall (Kraken hockey was on). I don’t care for sports bars, but the spacious interior didn’t make me feel forced to view the screens. A grilled cheese sandwich from the Sammich food truck parked outside was a great accompaniment to my brew. An upstairs level separated from the taproom makes it a family-friendly venue. The sign on the door said it was also dog-friendly, and a couple of pooches had accompanied their humans.

Maple Leaf has been in need of more casual places like this, and I’m looking forward to patronizing and sketching Project 9 again.

Stronger than a Donut

 

9/13/24 Project 9 Brewing Co., Maple Leaf neighborhood

After a long week of home-improvement project delays, issues and inconveniences, I needed something stronger than a donut. I asked Ching if she would come out for an impromptu drink & draw at Project 9 Brewing Company. A little brew, a little sketching and a lot of good conversation will do wonders for one’s first world problems.

Thanks for listening to my first world problems, Ching!

This was the first time I sat in the brewery’s outdoor seating area during inclement weather, and we stayed dry and cozy under the heated shelter. We could have gone inside, but it’s much quieter outdoors (plus dogs to sketch). It also helped to eat a huge pile of stir-fried noodles from Tummy Yummy Thai’s food truck. The last time I had opted for a stir fry from Tummy’s, the temps were in the mid-80s that July day, and the steaming hot noodles, though delicious, were not a good choice. Last Friday, they were just right.

Sammich, the other food truck that used to vend regularly at Project 9, apparently closed abruptly last month. I’m going to miss their fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches.

Nothing Better

 

4/24/26 Project 9 Brewing Co.

On a lovely late afternoon, USk Seattle met at Project 9 Brewing for the first unsheltered drink & draw of the year. We had a great turnout, including Lisbon artist Mario Linhares, who was in town to give a presentation and workshop through the University of Washington’s Landscape Architecture Department.

Other sketchers who had never come to a USk outing before and long-timers who hadn’t come in a while all joined us on Project 9’s sunny deck. And why wouldn’t they? A warm (but not hot) Friday afternoon, sketching with good friends while sipping cold beverages – does it get any better? We all agreed that it doesn’t.

Overcharged at Project 9

Evidence

When I was reviewing a credit card statement a while back, a charge from Project 9 Brewing Company from the night of the Super Bowl caught my attention. The charge was for $41.05. I knew that I had had only one small beer and some food, but the food was from an independent food truck vendor, so it was a separate charge. Why was the charge so high? Had I forgotten that I had treated my friends that night? I checked with them, and they remembered buying their own drinks. It was obviously an error.

I knew I could file a formal dispute with my credit card company, but I really like Project 9 (it’s a favorite venue for USk drink & draws), and filing a dispute would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I decided to talk to them about it directly instead. The bartenders gave me contact info for the owner.

In my email to him, I described what had happened and that I believed I had been overcharged. As “evidence,” I attached one of my sketches from the evening (detail shown here). The shape of the glass indicates the size of my beer, and of course, I had labeled the beer’s name.

He fully refunded the overcharge (including the legitimate cost of the beer) with apologies and no questions asked. I appreciate the customer service, and I’m sure I’ll be happily returning to Project 9.

The moral of the story: Always sketch your food and beverages in case you need evidence of an overcharge! 😉 

People and Brews

 

3/1/24 Project 9 Brewing Co.

When I first visited Project 9 Brewing Company last month, I thought it would be a great place to sketch with friends during next week’s One Week 100 People challenge. I invited Ching and Natalie to join me for a little practice leading up to it.

As soon as I got there, though, I forgot that my intention was to practice people and instead started looking for ways to capture the interior “story” with the comic book approach that has lately captured my interest. Facing the counter, where workers dispensed brews of all kinds (alcoholic, non-alcoholic and coffee, too), I put together a page spread with my grilled cheese sandwich and NA beer, a patron working on his laptop, and the hanging lamps.

Natalie was in learning mode!

The trapezoid-shaped box didn’t work the way I’d hoped (I was trying to evoke the perspective), but I do like the way the vignettes fit together on the spread. On the rare occasions when I sketch food, I usually make it the center focal piece surrounded by other vignettes. For the comic book approach, I prefer to make the food smaller, which gives me more flexibility in the shapes that I can make with the other vignettes. I enjoy the challenge of considering the whole page compositionally, which I usually do not think about.

I plan to come back next week during the challenge and sit in back so I can sketch more people.

The USk Drink & Draw is Back

1/31/25 USk drink & draw at Project 9 Brewing Co. (After half a beer, I apparently lose my ability to spell!)

After a holiday season hiatus, the USk Seattle drink & draw is back! All summer and early fall, our “usual” table had been in Project 9 Brewing Company’s huge sheltered outdoor space, but I was afraid it would be too cold and wet last Friday afternoon. With all their heaters going full blast, though, it was perfectly comfy (and so much quieter than inside). The only surprise was the occasional splatter of rainwater from the tent roof, which must have had some tiny leaks. But all the sketchers took the drops in our sketchbooks in stride – we’re urban sketchers, after all.

An interesting trend I’ve noticed at our drink & draws is that they seem to attract first-timers who have not yet attended a regular Urban Sketchers gathering. I always explain that drink & draws do not follow the usual outing format; they are simply casual, informal opportunities to sketch while we chat.

From an introvert’s perspective, if I were a newcomer, I would find it much easier to attend an actual sketch outing where I’d spend the bulk of the time sketching on my own instead of talking with people I don’t know. For others, though, it’s apparent that they feel more comfortable getting their feet wet in a familiar social situation such as enjoying a beer and snacks while they socialize. I’m happy that USk Seattle has different ways of making newcomers feel welcome. We all had a blast, and I’m looking forward to more of these, especially as the days grow warmer and longer.

Xander

 

8/23/24 Project 9 Brewing Co. drink & draw

The main reason breweries make ideal venues for USk drink & draws is that they always have large tables with open seating, so people can come and go at any time. Another big attraction for me is that most breweries welcome pets, and I can almost always find a dog to sketch (apparently a cat was also visiting elsewhere in the brewery, though I didn’t see it).

Last Friday at Project 9 Brewing Company, the star of my page was Xander, a very chill, well-behaved dog and excellent model. Chatting and sketching with his mom and dad, I learned that Xander is a retired sheep guard. I was shown a photo of him lying with a herd of adorable lambs. Seeing Christina giving him treats now and then, I asked what he was eating: Lamb! I had to laugh at the irony.

The Collective Joy of Super Bowl

 

2/8/26 Pre-game snacking and sketching at Project 9 Brewing Co., Maple Leaf neighborhood

I have an unusual perspective on the Super Bowl game that captured the country’s (and especially Seattle’s) attention last Sunday: It was my first time watching one.

An hour before I was to leave for the game, I realized
I couldn't go to a sports bar on Super Bowl
Sunday without wearing Seahawks gear!
Thankfully, my neighbor across the street had
exactly what I needed.

It’s probably stating the obvious to say that I have no interest in any sports, nor have I ever. In fact, when I was in college, I used to feel resentful that sports received so much funding and attention while liberal arts programs were barely hanging on. Over the years, my attitude mellowed to basic indifference, and I note the date of the Super Bowl only to take advantage of empty stores and light traffic.

As I’ve grown older, my lack of interest in sports has not changed, but I’ve learned to appreciate the bonding mechanism that sports provide in our culture. Beginning with a Mariners game I watched last fall, I realized that I could observe fandom energy the way an anthropologist studies a culture – with sketchbook in hand.

I invited Ching and Natalie to join me at Project 9 Brewing Co., my neighborhood brew pub, to watch and sketch the big game. Arriving early enough to find seats in the huge venue, we found an ideal table: It was at a bad angle from the TV screens, so it would not appeal to most patrons, but we could face Seahawks fans without their noticing us sketching them!

For a different viewpoint, I sometimes walked out to the entirely empty heated patio where no screens could be seen, but I could sketch other patrons easily.

In general, I didn’t understand what was going on (though Natalie tried her best to explain the rules to me), but it was fun to observe the explosive exclamations of joy or disappointment with each score or fumble. (The three of us left after half time, so I missed the final triumph. It must have been an ear-shattering roar, but I appreciated it from a distance when I heard fireworks in the neighborhood.)

Aside from the game, I was moved by the significance of the primary half-time entertainer, the Puerto Rican performer known as Bad Bunny, who sang entirely in Spanish (apparently a historic first at the Super Bowl). During the past year when all immigrants, especially Spanish speakers, have been oppressed and tortured, I hope we all heard the message of Bad Bunny’s exuberant, proud performance: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Even without being a Seahawks fan, I appreciate the collective joy and celebration that the team’s triumph gave Seattle. This year, we needed this, more than ever.

Breeze and Brews Keep Sketchers Cool

 

7/5/24 Project 9 Brewing Co.

On the first day of our heatwave, a few members of USk Seattle gathered at Project 9 Brewing Company for a drink & draw. Although the temps were in the mid-80s by late afternoon, a decent breeze on the well-shaded north side of the brewery kept us relatively comfortable (aided by good brews).

It was a fun evening of chat about art, art materials and even knitting, as almost all of us were or used to be knitters. Bonus (for me): Several dogs were present at the pet-friendly venue, including cooperative model Pine, who was part of our party.

D & D for R & R

2/28/25 Project 9 Brewing Co., Maple Leaf neighborhood

 After my busy week of packing and unpacking, Friday night’s drink & draw with USk Seattle was welcome R & R! Several of us were warming up for One Week 100 People (which begins today) so we became each other’s victims. I couldn’t resist one of the canines, too. (One of many reasons I like Project 9 Brewing Company for our drink & draws is that dogs are welcome.)

World Cup Watch “Party” at Project 9

 

6/24/26 Project 9 Brewery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

With my usual fervent indifference toward all professional sports, I hadn’t participated in any of Seattle’s FIFA fever. Although I hoped that my city would be a good host for this global event, my interest ended there. As I’ve learned from past experiences (see my sketches at watch parties for the Mariners and the Super Bowl), my entry into any subject I have no interest in is always sketching.

Last Wednesday’s noontime match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar seemed like a good opportunity to give it a shot. I certainly had no intention of joining the massive mobs downtown. Instead, I walked over to my favorite neighborhood watering hole, Project 9 Brewing Company. Maybe my expectations were too high for something called a watch “party.” Or maybe Maple Leaf doesn’t have many fans of the Bosnia-Herzegovina or Qatar teams. In any case, except for one sudden roar, patrons remained quiet. Facing away from the four huge screens available for viewing, a few people kept working on their laptops.

Live video sketches

Enjoying my lunch of Mexican Seoul’s usual tasty burrito bowl with a NA beer, I had the most fun trying to capture a few gestures of close-up action on the screen.

There – I participated in Seattle’s historic sports hosting event. Now, will everyone please go home so that I can go downtown again?

Drink & Draw: It’s a Thing!

 

5/31/24 Project 9 Brewing Co. drink & draw with USk Seattle

Unlike other Urban Sketchers communities, especially in Europe and Asia, USk Seattle has never embraced the evening drink-and-draw as a sketching and socializing opportunity. Although we occasionally have lunch together after an outing (though usually we just chat and don’t sketch – a tradition I tried to change a while back, but I seemed to be the only one sketching!), and small groups often sketch together over coffee, evening pub gatherings just aren’t our thing. Or at least they haven’t been – but maybe they are, and we just haven’t tried it! Last week I decided to correct that, just to see how it would go.

Although I can drink and draw, I apparently can't drink and write haiku -- I had to do that part later in the evening after I got home!

Meeting at Project 9, the brew pub in my neighborhood where I’ve sketched with friends several times, we had a blast! With huge seating spaces, both indoors and out, and two food trucks on busy weekend nights, it’s an ideal, informal venue for groups when we don’t know how many will show up, and everyone drifts in at various times. On a warmish, sunny, Friday evening, the place was lively, yet it never felt over-crowded.

Who says drink & draws aren’t our thing? With all the encouraging comments I received afterwards, it definitely won’t be the last USk Seattle drink & draw, especially on the warm summer nights ahead. And we’ve encouraged all sketchers, not just the admins, to initiate drink & draws in their own neighborhoods by simply posting invitations in the Facebook group.

As someone commented on my Instagram post, there's nothing quite as happy as the sight of a bunch of sketchers with all their art supplies spread out, chatting and sketching together!

Scouting Mission: Old Stove Brewery

 

6/1/25 Old Stove Brewing Co., Ballard neighborhood

All the umbrellas gave me interesting compositional possibilities to make small studies from.

Now that outdoor dining weather has begun (fingers crossed!), I’m on a mission to scout potential USk drink & draw locations for the summer. My favorite, of course, is Project 9 because it’s within walking distance, but it would be fun to try new locations in other neighborhoods, too. First on my list was Old Stove Brewing Company Gardens in Ballard, which is the newest location in this local chain.

What attracted me most in the photos I’d seen online was the huge beer garden. I picked a sunny Sunday afternoon to check it out with Ching and Natalie. In addition to the garden, it has spacious indoor seating, too, with views of brewing tanks.

Lots of shaded tables? Check. Good food and brews? Check. Good space for inclement weather? Bonus!

Complements

I was just about to head out for a drink & draw with USk Seattle at Project 9 Brewing Company. Needing a strong complement for this orange Uglybook, I had grabbed a bright blue Pilot Juice acrylic marker. Amazingly, a man (lower left corner) sat down nearby wearing a bright orange T-shirt and socks and blue shoes exactly the color of my ink! An imaginary high-5 to him for his good color sense!