West Seattle Weather Watch: 60 mph wind possible

December 15, 2012 10:00 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Be sure you have batteries on hand, and check around your house for anything in danger of being picked up and blown around: The National Weather Service has renewed its High Wind Watch for our area – in effect late tomorrow night through Monday morning. See it here; the NWS says it’ll be southwest wind, “rising to 25 to 35 miles per hour, with gusts to 60 mph.” We’ll keep close watch on the changing forecast, as well as the wind itself if/when it arrives.

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West Seattle holiday scene: Santa visits Menashe lights

December 15, 2012 9:25 pm

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| Holidays | West Seattle news

When you have as many Christmas lights up as the Menashe family does, you’re probably entitled to more than one visit from Santa Claus. And so, with nine nights left before Christmas Eve, the jolly old soul is there tonight amid the bright lights in the 5600 block of Beach Drive SW, for photos with young Christmas-wishers, including some of the Menashe family’s youngest members:

If you see this before 10 pm, that’s how late Santa (in the persona of “Santa Al”) was scheduled to be on hand.

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West Seattle traffic alerts: Viaduct reminder; WS Bridge cam back

December 15, 2012 5:41 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Two traffic notes tonight:

VIADUCT LANE/EXIT CLOSURE REMINDER: If you missed, or forgot about, the alert, be forewarned that the all-weekend-long lane closure and Atlantic exit closure on southbound 99 **is** affecting traffic. Saw it ourselves while headed to Queen Anne for an errand a few hours ago (through-the-windshield-from-passenger-seat photo above) – and decided to take an alternate route when headed back (I-5 tends to be busy every weekend, so we chose 4th Avenue South to the 1st Avenue South Bridge, but if you’re in north West Seattle, 1st Avenue South to the Spokane Street Viaduct works well too.) The lane and exit are not scheduled to reopen until early Monday morning.

BRIDGE CAM RETURNS: Another traffic alert for today involved SDOT work to restore a West Seattle Bridge cam view that’s been out of commission for months – and tonight, it’s back:

That’s a west-pointed view of the West Seattle Bridge, available again, so it’s back in action on the WSB Traffic page too.

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West Seattle holiday scene: Living Nativity/petting zoo at ARK Park

December 15, 2012 5:04 pm

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| Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

A unique way to help tell the Christmas story to children – twin a Living Nativity with a petting zoo! That’s what happened at ARK Park in Arbor Heights this afternoon – with animals including a donkey and llamas.

This was a presentation of Arbor Heights Community Church – one of the churches listed in our lineup of West Seattle Christmas Eve/Day church services. See the list here – and please let us know if you have an addition or change!

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Video: Christmasy afternoon in The Junction – free music & wrap

December 15, 2012 1:52 pm

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| Holidays | West Seattle news

With the weather mixing snow/sleet/slush into the rain this afternoon, it’s extra-Christmasy as We Three Carolers and South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsors) sing in The Junction this afternoon – you are welcome to join them at California/Alaska till 3:30 pm. Less than a block away, West Seattle High School band members are performing:

They’re outside Windermere at 4526 California SW – where free gift wrap is available till 3:30 pm for Junction-bought items. Bring your receipt!

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West Seattle restaurants: ‘Soft open’ debut for Duos Lounge

December 15, 2012 12:47 pm

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| Luna Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

(STORY UPDATED MONDAY with planned days/hours)

It’s been almost four months since Duos Catering moved into the former Avalon Restaurant spot at 2940 SW Avalon Way (as reported here in August). The owners said they planned to open a “neighborhood hangout” – and they’re finally ready. Last night, during their “soft open,” WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams stopped in, photographing both the small-plates food …

(Grass-fed beef sliders with applewood-smoked bacon, Tillamook cheddar, onion jam)
… and the people – here’s co-owner Benjamin Jury checking in with guests:

More of Nick’s photos ahead:Read More

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West Seattle Weather Watch: ‘Lumpy rain,’ and an alert ahead

December 15, 2012 10:24 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

10:24 AM: Two weather notes this morning – First, just received a text (206-293-6302 any time) noting “lumpy rain” north of Roxbury. The National Weather Service did warn of “rain mixed with snow” in this morning’s forecast update – increasing winds, too, and we’ve seen them kick up here. The NWS also has a Special Weather Statement out for the region, including our area, about a big storm headed this way late Sunday and into Monday – wind and rain mentioned, not snow, though “snow showers” are noted as possible in the aforementioned forecast. P.S. Could be extra-problematic in waterfront areas if high wind coincides with the ongoing high tides – Beach Drive Blog has a mashup of all that info together.

4:57 PM UPDATE: The Special Weather Statement has since been upgraded to a High Wind Watch for late Sunday night into early Monday morning – see it here.

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West Seattle Saturday: Last night of Hanukkah; 2nd-to-last weekend before Christmas

December 15, 2012 10:09 am

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| Holidays | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

If you haven’t checked the Holiday Guide yet for what’s up today/tonight – here are the highlights! With a few from the year-round WSB Event Calendar too:

BAKE SALE FOR FAMILY REUNION: Till 3 pm today and 9-3 tomorrow, a new West Seattleite hoping to raise money for a holiday family reunion is having a bake sale. Read all about it here.

BLOOD DRIVE AT WESTWOOD VILLAGE: Till 3 pm. Drop-ins welcome but note that the Bloodmobile will be closed 11 am-noon. Details here.

FREE GIFT WRAP STATION! 11:30 am-3:30 pm: Let us wrap your Junction gifts! The West Seattle High School Music Program parents will staff our gift wrap station at Windermere (4526 California SW) while the students perform in The Junction. Please bring Junction retailer receipt. FREE wrap and ribbon, no boxes provided.

CAROLING IN THE JUNCTION: We 3 Carolers, and members of the South Seattle Community College Choir, will be caroling in The Junction, corner of Calif and Alaska, from 11:30-1:00, and 1:30-3:00. Come by and join us if you like to sing carols! We will also be collecting cash or check donations to the Food Bank. Thanks West Seattle and WC Neighbors! And special thanks to B Sharp Studio and Clowns Unlimited for sponsoring this 4th Annual Sing-Along for the Food Banks of West Seattle and White Center.

SANTA PHOTOS IN THE ADMIRAL DISTRICT: Free at Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor) 12 pm to 4:00 pm, bring donations for West Seattle Food Bank (see wish list in the Holiday Guide).

SANTA PHOTOS AT THE MENASHE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DISPLAY: “Santa Al” will be available for photos – free with your camera, or have a photo taken for $5 – at the Menashe Family lights display (5600 block of Beach Drive) from 5:30-10 pm.

(More Santa photo opportunities today are in the Holiday Guide)

SANTA’S FIRST MAGICAL RIDE: Second weekend run for the premiere season of locally written/produced “Santa’s First Magical Ride: The Musical” (WSB sponsor), 2 and 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW); tickets available online. Bring your camera, because showgoers can take photos with Santa afterward!

BLITHE BAZAAR: 4-8 pm at Center Studio in White Center, the next chance to buy holiday gifts from local artisans.

CHRISTMAS TREE SALES: Last big weekend. Son-In-Law Tree Farm just announced their trees are all half-price till gone (California/Charlestown). Holy Rosary School Tree Lot (WSB sponsor; 41st/Dakota) is in its final weekend, today and tomorrow.

LIVE NATIVITY SCENE WITH SMALL PETTING ZOO: Free! One donkey, two sheep, one lamb, five goats, two alpacas, 1-3 pm at the Arbor Heights A.R.K. Park behind Arbor Heights Community Church at 4113 SW 102nd.

CHAMPAGNE TASTING: West Seattle Cellars‘ special 1-5 pm tasting, annual grower Champagne tasting. (There will be a $10 fee for this tasting, which can be applied to a purchase.)

FONDUE PARTY: Junction QFC is having a Fondue Party – announcing that “dipping time is 2:00 till 6:00. Come join in the fun, we’ll be melting gooey, hot cheese and dipping bread, pickles, apples, and veggies! We are also having a raffle for a FREE Fondue Pot. Must be present to win.”

PARTY ON THE FINAL NIGHT OF HANUKKAH: It’s the eighth and final night of Hanukkah; celebrate at Kol HaNeshamah, 6115 SW Hinds, 4-8 pm. Details here.

(Photo courtesy Twelfth Night Productions)
‘MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: THE RADIO PLAY’: Twelfth Night Productions‘ holiday show is in its final weekend at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), 7:30 pm; tickets available online. Also: A Children’s Hospital toy drive is happening during the show’s run – bring a donation!

TIDAL EXTREMES CONTINUE: As the winter “king tides” continue, 12:15 am tonight (early Sunday) is the lowest, 7:34 am Sunday the highest (here’s the chart).

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West Seattle giving: Holidays 4 Hope students’ special delivery

December 15, 2012 5:01 am

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| Holidays | South Park | West Seattle news

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
That pile of presents awaits kids at a South Park Community Center celebration today – thanks in no small part to the work of two Chief Sealth International High School seniors. We first told you last month about the toy drive Clint Hewitt and Conrad Hill organized as their senior project, Holidays 4 Hope. On Friday, like Santa Claus, they delivered what they had collected:

That’s SPCC’s Carmen Martinez hugging Conrad as Clint unloads more of the 425 toys they collected, donated by West Seattleites, schoolchildren to shop patrons:

At the center, volunteers were wrapping the presents soon to be received by excited kids:

Decorations were going up too – below right, Maja Hansen was working with volunteers from the Health Perspectives group:

Clint and Conrad had donation bins at 3 local businesses and 2 schools while collecting the toys they just delivered.

Though Holidays 4 Hope’s toy drive is over, lots of West Seattle giving opportunities remain – some listed in the WSB Holidays Guide

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West Seattle schools: Denny’s turn in the Bookfair spotlight

December 15, 2012 1:19 am

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Friday was the second consecutive night with a Bookfair event at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village. Thursday night, as reported here, it was Arbor Heights Elementary; Friday, Denny International Middle School. And again, we have a community-contributed photo to share: That’s 7th-grader Yahya, reading his poem “I Am From.” If you weren’t able to be there, you can still participate – over the next six days, Denny will get part of the proceeds from your B&N purchases if you use the special code listed in the explanation on the school website.

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