West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Photos by Nick Adams for WSB
That’s Alan Thorne, left, and Jonathan Evans, right, tightening their slackline in Lincoln Park today, photographed by WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams. Slacklining – explained here – is legal in Seattle public parks, reports Nick; slackliners say the best practice to protect the trees from harm is to only put lines around thick trunks and also by padding the trunk. These two set up a 250-foot line. Here’s Evans, who usually practices on a shorter line, 150 feet:
And Thorne:
The sport kicked up some controversy two years ago …
(Aerial view of the Timber Bridge work zone this weekend, by Long Bach Nguyen)
WSDOT has just announced that Highway 99 is fully open again, earlier than planned, after a weekend of work to get ready for the “Timber Bridge”/Spokane St. Overcrossing bridge work beginning tomorrow.
(Click image for larger view)
Remember this means a new configuration for 99 south of the West Seattle Bridge, as shown above – one lane southbound, two lanes northbound, as the old wood-supported bridge is demolished rebuilt in sections.
From Bradi Jones (pictured with Oscar himself), general manager at the fab Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), where the stars are shining tonight:
Happening now at the Feedback Lounge! Oscar is in the House! If you have your limo driver drop you off to enter through the “VIP entrance” (the back), Oscar will greet you with the red-carpet experience!! Front entrance, less paparazzi!!!
We gave the paparazzi some tips for the night, that the best photo ops were going to be coming from the back. So if you want to fly under the media radar, I’d have your driver drop you off at the front! Goooo Oscar!!!!!
Not too late to go – the opening monologue’s just under way as we write this. The Feedback’s at 6451 California SW in Morgan Junction.
2:55 PM: More wind is on the way – and this time there’s an official alert: The National Weather Service has announced a “wind advisory” for our area, from 11 pm tonight until noon tomorrow. Gusts could reach 50 mph after rising to 15 to 30 mph out of the southwest, according to NWS. See the full alert here. (Thanks to WSB commenter “Meteorologist Patrick” for the heads-up!)
5:24 PM: The advisory is now extended through 4 pm Monday. The revised advisory also says gusts could reach 55 mph.
Your chance to get an early membership in Delridge’s future co-op grocery store is less than a month away. The Delridge Produce Cooperative has announced Saturday, March 23rd, as the date for its first membership-drive event (11 am-1 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center). And tomorrow (Monday, February 25) is the date for DPC’s next planning meeting (6:30 pm at Delridge Library, across from the grocery store’s expected home in the future DESC Delridge Supportive Housing complex). Even if you haven’t been previously involved, you are welcome, and DPC says it’s looking for two “specific (types of) volunteers”:
We would love to find someone with the time and inclination to manage our social media outreach (i.e. Facebook). We also need some occasional tax advice. If you are able to volunteer for either of these roles (or any other area), please e-mail us!
The group’s reachable at delridgeproducecoop@gmail.com.
(Seal Sitters photo by Robin Lindsey)
You’ve probably seen the familiar yellow tape and traffic cones on the shore, marking the perimeter around a resting seal or sea lion, with at least As Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey mentioned at The Whale Trail‘s orca (and more) talk this past Thursday, the next volunteer-training session is scheduled for March 9th, and you are invited to RSVP ASAP if you are interested. One particular point of interest from Robin:
Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, Seal Sitters encourages children to participate. It is very empowering for a child to learn about our fragile ecosystem and be able to do something to protect seals and other marine mammals.
The e-mail link for RSVPs is in this announcement on the Seal Sitters’ site, which also includes location/time details.
Seattle Public Schools‘ current five-year strategic plan “Excellence for All” expires this year, and the district is working on a new one. An online survey that’s part of the process is ending in a few days, and the district is asking feedback from everyone – “families, students, staff, and members of the community” included, according to a reminder recently sent. It’s a quick survey, the district promises, and it starts here. Find more background – and links to take the survey in more languages – here. This Wednesday (February 27th) is the deadline.
(Great blue heron at Lowman Beach, by Flickr member “old desolate,” shared via WSB Flickr group)
Possibilities for your Sunday, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
99 CLOSURE REMINDER: As crews prepare for tomorrow’s start of the “Timber Bridge” rebuilding project on Highway 99 south of the West Seattle Bridge, southbound 99 is closed from the Battery Street Tunnel to South Nevada Street, while northbound is closed only from S. Nevada to the WS Bridge (the eastbound bridge exit to northbound 99 remains open).
YES, THAT’S A CRUISE SHIP: As we write, the German cruise ship Amadea is in Elliott Bay, bound for Pier 66 downtown. Cruise ships don’t usually visit this early – but this one isn’t on the Alaska run that brings ships here throughout the summer; it’s on a worldwide cruise.
RELAY FOR LIFE-WEST SEATTLE KICKOFF: The cancer-fighting overnight event is four months away, but registration, planning, and organizing are under way, and today’s the gala kickoff for Relay of Life-West Seattle. Visit the Menashe Gym at Seattle Lutheran High School (41st/Genesee) 11 am-3 pm today to join in; details here.
SOUP-MAKING AT WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Chaco Canyon Café is scheduled to be at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market today, 11 am-1 pm (the full market runs 10 am-2 pm), to demonstrate soup-making with winter squash. 44th and Alaska.
CAMPAIGN COFFEE: City Councilmember Tim Burgess brings his mayoral campaign to Cupcake Royale (California/Alaska) 1-2 pm for a coffee event to talk with voters.
COOKING CLUB’S ‘SOUP OFF’: The West Seattle Cooking Club‘s “Soup Off” starts at 3:30 pm at Big Al Brewing – details (and map) here.
OSCAR PARTY AT THE FEEDBACK: Drink specials and “razzle dazzle” promised at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) Oscar party: “The media snarkiness over clothing begins at 4 PM with the actual awards ceremony starting at 5 PM.” 6451 California SW.
OSCAR PARTY AT OUTWEST: 4 pm, California/Brandon, per the bar’s event calendar.
OSCAR PARTY ON VASHON: When we put out an open call for Oscar parties, we also heard from Eileen Wolcott, a third-generation West Seattleite and owner of the Vashon Theatre. A short ferry ride away, her theater has a big bash too, starting at 4 pm – “… the best Oscar event ever! Hop on the 3:40 boat to Vashon and watch the Oscars on the big screen, limo rides, catered dinner, costume contests, and live entertainment replace the commercial breaks. … It is our 10-year anniversary as owners, and we are donating all the prizes!” Find more details on the theater’s website.
BENEFIT CLOTHING SWAP: This is also the big night for the women’s-clothing swap to benefit moms-of-babies support organization Early Days, 5:30-7:30 pm at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW – details in our earlier preview.
(First two photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Inside the tiled turret on the Roxhill Castle play structure, that’s a view that soon only children will see. We got a peek when we dropped by the soon-to-open renovated playground on Saturday to see how “artist in residence” Mike Henderson and volunteers are doing:
There’s still work to be done, and more help would be welcome. The playground’s not ready to open yet, but that’s not because of the turret project – remember, there’s a skatespot going in next door, too:
(Aerial photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
From the air, you can see the scope of the project. Here’s the skatespot view from ground level:
(This photo and those below are by Nick Adams for WSB)
WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams photographed it during a visit to the site earlier this week. But the skatespot is a separate project, out of the playground volunteers’ control. So they’re working on the mosaic, which includes the face of a dragon …
… and the grace of an astronaut:
The tile work is proceeding under a tarp:
Mike told us they’re not ready to grout yet and would still appreciate help – e-mail him at centerforawesome@gmail.com to coordinate when and how you can assist. These are the finishing touches on the project, most of which went up thanks to days of volunteer work back in November, with the replacement “castle” accompanied by new features awaiting the go-ahead for playtime:
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