Silence-Heart-Nest is closed until Wednesday, October 15. The staff is currently in New York observing the one-year anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s passing. Chinmoy is the Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher whose work inspired the creation of the restaurant, as well as its name.

The restaurant normally closes two other times during the year — once in mid-April to celebrate Chinmoy’s 1964 emigration to the U.S., and once in late August to celebrate his birthday.

The Laptop Battle is back in its hometown. Twenty or so musicians will grab their laptops tonight (Friday) for the electronic music showdown. The international phenomenom is “a fusion of sound design, composition and stage performance, and a chance for laptop musicians to prove their skills in battle and develop techniques and strategies.” It started back in 2003 right here in Seattle and has gone around the world with battles in New Zealand, Italy, and Tokyo to name a few. Tonight’s event is at Nectar and starts at 9 p.m.

Update: Check out Laptop Battle photos from +Russ right here.

Deb says she loves her brand new Zenn Nev electric car. “Yes, that’s me you see scooting around Fremont/Ballard, in the little green car,” she writes. “Being capped at 35 mph not a problem — I avoided Aurora and I-5 a lot anyway, before.” Beyond the obvious environmental benefits, the tiny Zenn seems to be a perfect fit for Fremont’s “parking crisis,” too.

The Nev is 100% electric, gets 40 miles per charge and costs around $20k.

Parking has always been a little tight in Fremont, but the city has a stronger word for it. “Parking really is in crisis in Fremont,” said city transportation spokesman Rick Sheridan in a Seattle PI article today. From the story:

The city also has arranged through Metro for more bus service through Fremont to help relieve parking pressure and is considering adding signs and creating more spaces. Sheridan said his department will push for enforcing rules, but more paid parking “may be a more customer-friendly approach.”

As we’ve been reporting, the Fremont Chamber has circulated a petition against the proposal to install pay parking kiosks. The petition ultimately received more than 2,000 signatures. The comment period is now complete, and the city expects to have a decision by November.

The Church of the Apostles hosted their third annual Blessing of the Animals at the foot of the Fremont Troll this afternoon. The ceremony was held today in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is traditionally observed on Oct. 4 in the Roman Catholic church.

After a reading, a quick glance over the life of St. Francis of Assisi and a group prayer, Abbess Karen Ward sprinkled a handful of dogs and cats, and said a quick prayer over them. The church also hosts Taize meditation service every first Sunday of the month, including tonight, at 6 p.m. in the Fremont Abbey.

In other neighborhood church news, evening services resume tonight at Fremont Baptist Church, also at 6 p.m.

It’s the first Friday of the month, and in Fremont, that means it’s time for the First Friday art walk. From 6-9 p.m. tonight, artists will be showing off their work in various art galleries and coffee shops.

Tonight’s featured artists include Jamie Curtis, who will be giving a glass flower and star demonstration at Edge of Glass. Participants can sign up to receive a free flower or star for watching the demonstration. Author-Illustrator-Storyteller-Chef, Ramon Shiloh will be displaying art for his upcoming book at Fremont Abbey.

Oasis Art Gallery will be hosting an exhibition entitled “Insight” featuring landscape paintings by Patti Bezzo, encaustics with sheet music and books by Janet Miller, spiritual circular mandalas and rose windows by Diana Smith, scenes of metal in photographs by Kevin Wrenn, wildlife abstracts by Emily Livengood, and impressionist landscapes by Ukrainian native Nadia Kasko.

For more information visit the Art Walk’s blog, fremontfirstfriday.blogspot.com.

The Keep Fremont Free group is working hard to keep the paid parking kiosks out of the neighborhood — a plan that the city of Seattle is considering. So far, 806 people have signed the online petition, and more than 450 citizens have written in to express opposition to the proposed changes, according to an e-mail from City Councilman Richard McIver.

A recent study by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) shows that that the majority of blocks in the area were more than 75 percent full for most of the day, and that parking spots on the blocks between Fremont and Troll Avenues were as full as 90 percent. The proposed changes include two-hour paid parking at $1.25 per hour in the core business district, 10-hour paid parking around the core, installation of a residential parking zone to create a comprehensive mix of on-street parking, and change load zones to commercial vehicle load zones with pay stations (see map).

SDOT will continue to accept comments on the proposal until this Friday. They hopes to have their plan finalized in November and implemented early next year. To share feedback on the proposed parking plan for Fremont, residents can reach SDOT at communityparking@seattle.gov.