West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Four tidbits:
FINALLY CLOSER TO OPENING? There’s a sign the new restaurant planned for the former Bohemian location at 3405 California SW might finally be approaching its opening, almost two years after it was sold. The last official word was nine months ago, when our repeated inquiries via phone, e-mail, note under the door, etc., finally were answered with a postal-mail letter from the new ownership, which already has Bick’s and Saltoro in North Seattle, and explained that this too would be a “simple neighborhood dinnerhouse.” In the ensuing months, work has continued, including subtle exterior touches – and now we’ve found a help-wanted ad seeking cooks for “North Seattle and West Seattle” locations, and the application address is Bick’s. The last known working title for the WS restaurant was West City Kitchen, but no signage has appeared yet.
Speaking of ads, another one of note:
BAMBOO BUILDING FOR SALE: A new commercial-real-estate listing appeared this weekend for the building housing Bamboo Bar and Grill. The listing makes it clear the business itself is NOT for sale, just the building, which also has three residential units on the second floor, and the marketing brochure reiterates that the business has another year on its lease and wants to stay. Asking price: $1.4 million.
And changes elsewhere:
BLACKBOARD BISTRO BRUNCH: Summertime and not only is the patio open at Blackboard Bistro (3247 California SW), says Chef Jacob Wiegner, they’re also now serving Sunday brunch 9:30 am-2 pm, with current dinner hours 5-9 pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and 5-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays. (We have updated the WSB West Seattle Restaurant Guide accordingly.)
DIVA IN THE EVENING: This past Thursday night, Diva Espresso in The Triangle launched a Thursday night open-mike night, 7-9 pm (signups at 6). And in the announcement shared with us by Diva management, they also mentioned they’re “in the process of getting” a license to offer beer/malt beverages.
With the Morgan Junction Community Festival (co-sponsored by WSB) less than a week away, here’s an update on this free, one-day community event, including the performance schedule, with two shows by the famous Bubbleman, and open-mike spots for all ages. The festival is next Saturday (June 22nd) in the usual 3 spots just north of California and Fauntleroy: The lot west of Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), in Morgan Junction Park, and alongside Washington Federal on the other side of California. Browse the schedule here:
All well-behaved leashed dogs (over the age of 4 months) are invited to bring their owners and join the Pooch Parade and the Contests.
2:00 – Pooch Parade: A parade of pooches will line up starting at 2:00 pm north of the Morgan Junction Park on SW Eddy Street. Look for the signs. We will parade through Festival to the Washington Federal Bank Stage. Costumes are optional.
2:15 – Contests: Join us for the following contests:
1) Cutest Puppy (4 months up to 9 months),
2) Best Trick, and
3) Best Dog/Owner Look-AlikeFirst- and second-place contestants will be selected via the ‘audience applause meter’ as monitored by the MC and awarded commemorative medallions. All “Bark of Morgan” participants will receive a special prize.
Sponsors of the second “Bark of Morgan” are The Wash Dog (WSB sponsor), Pet Elements, and Stella Ruffington’s Doggy Playcare
Then there’s the Bite of Morgan – food samples from WSB sponsors Feedback Lounge, Zeeks Pizza, and Harry’s Chicken Joint, plus other participants Kokoras Greek Grill, Domino’s Pizza, and McDonald’s. Also, you can support festival finances by buying a freshly barbecued lunch at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), with proceeds donated to festival-presenting Morgan Community Association. A few food trucks plan to be there too – confirmation’s expected within a day or two. See you in Morgan Junction on Saturday!
Thanks to West Seattle Little League for sharing the photo of their victorious Juniors, who won the District 7 Tournament of Champions today in Renton, 4-3 over the Pac-West Angels. The team is coached by Mark Terao and Mark O’Neil; pitchers in the victory were starter Grayson O’Neil (through 5) and Jacob Terao (through the 7th). Shoutout to the other players, as listed by WSLL: Jax Cramer, Chris Drake, Blue James, Jackson Oehling, Trifon Papahronis, Elijah Phouangphet, Timmy Roach, Gage Rowlands, and also, though they couldn’t play today, Zach Gerhardt and Marcus Titialii. This comes just one week after the regular season ended for WSLL. Congratulations!
(WSB file photo of Madison’s east-facing gym exterior, where the sign would go)
One month ago today, we reported that the city had approved the four-year-old proposal for a 30-square-foot electronic sign outside the Madison Middle School gym. A group of neighbors has appealed the decision, and tomorrow, they go downtown for a conference with the city’s Hearing Examiner, to prepare for a full hearing in July. We talked with one of the neighbors, Claudia Ludwig, who explained why they’re challenging the decision:
Next weekend, local teens Alex Miller, Nicholas Orndorff, and Clara Orndorff will be participating in international underwater-robotics (ROV) competition for the second consecutive year. We brought you their story last year. Writing a report and getting it published counts in the competition too; we are pleased to share their 2013 update:
Recently the AMNO & CO ROV Team qualified to compete in the 2013 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center’s International ROV Competition for students. A Remotely Operated Vehicle, or ROV, is a tethered robot used to complete tasks in underwater environments.
AMNO & CO was the second-place winner in the Pacific Northwest Regional, which was held on May 11th. AMNO & CO accomplished this using an ROV they designed and built over the past year. At the International ROV Competition, which will be held June 20-22 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center, AMNO & CO will compete against more than thirty of the top teams from MATE’s 22 regional competitions around the world, including competitions in the US, the UK, China, Egypt, Canada, and Hong Kong.
Each year, the MATE ROV competition encourages students to learn and apply science, technology, engineering, and math skills to the competition tasks that simulate real-world problems from the ocean workplace. This year, the contest focuses on the role that ROVs play in installing and maintaining a system of underwater sensors and other equipment.
This system of equipment is known as the Regional Scale Node, or RSN, which consists of a primary node that can then deliver power to a series of sensors that are connected to it. These sensors include an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, or ADCP, that measures the velocity of the ocean’s currents, and an Ocean Bottom Seismometer, or OBS, which collects data about seismic activity on the ocean floor. Currently this system is being installed off the western coast of the United States. This array of sensors will provide new and useful data about the ocean, including data about climate change and its properties and consequences, which will be useful to our understanding of the world.
Teams will participate in mission tasks, piloting their ROV to deploy and install simulated versions of the actual sensors being used. To do this, not only must ROVs be able to transport the sensors correctly, they must also be able to open and close hatches, turn locks, and connect power cables. In addition to the simulated sensors, teams must also create their own temperature sensors that can take measurements from a simulated hydrothermal vent (a vent on the ocean floor that emits hot water). In addition, teams must prepare a technical report describing their ROV, make a presentation to a panel of judges, and create a poster display.
This is the fourth year that AMNO & CO has participated in the Pacific Northwest Regional ROV Contest, and the second year they will be attending the MATE International ROV Competition. The team members are Alex Miller, Nicholas Orndorff, and Clara Orndorff.
The AMNO & CO ROV team is supported by local sponsors including West Marine, Fisheries Supply, and Harris Electric. The team practiced at the Shoreline Pool and fundraised over the summer near Alki Beach. Their fundraising covered a large portion of the cost of their ROV.
For more information about the AMNO & CO ROV team, please contact them at amnoandco@live.com, or visit their Facebook page facebook.com/AMNOandCoROV. For more information about the MATE ROV competition, visit marinetech.org/rov-competition.
We wish AMNO & CO the best of luck in next weekend’s competition!
Not sure if that’s dad or mom Northern Flicker feeding babies at Lincoln Park – waiting for word back from photographer Trileigh Tucker – but it seems perfect for this family-oriented day, whatever the case. Here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SPEAKING OF LINCOLN PARK … start the day with a work party, helping Friends of Lincoln Park. Meet in the north parking lot at 9 am; details in the calendar listing. (Fauntleroy/Rose)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, with this week’s featured items including various varieties of cherries. (44th/Alaska)
DADS AND DISCS: Ultimate Frisbee for Father’s Day! 11 am, Fairmount Playfield. (Fauntleroy/Brandon)
GLASSBLOWING DEMONSTRATION: A family of artists will be working at Avalon Glassworks today, and you’re invited to observe – drop by between 11 am and 4 pm. (2914 SW Avalon Way)
FATHER’S DAY BARBECUE AND SUMMER KICKOFF: All invited to this event planned outside – including games! – at Admiral Congregational Church, noon-2 pm. (California/Hill)
IS DAD A CAT FAN? Adoption event with Friends of the Animals Foundation, noon-3 pm at Next to Nature in The Junction. (4543 California SW)
DIY BIKES … free bike repairs at the West Seattle Tool Library, 1 pm-5 pm. DIY means more than Do It Yourself; come see for yourself. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
… and more on the calendar!
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes: First, a South Delridge domestic-violence call on Saturday afternoon almost turned into a SWAT standoff – we, in fact, were on the way to it after hearing word of a road closure, when the SWAT team was canceled after the suspect’s arrest. Police have published the story via SPD Blotter, including this photo of a hidden compartment in a sofa where they say they found the suspect hiding:
SPD also reports finding three guns in plain sight in the apartment – all pointed out by a 3-year-old girl who, along with a younger child, had been there when the victim was assaulted earlier. The suspect was booked into jail.
Two reader reports now – starting with this one about two stolen bicycles – including the one pictured below:
We would like to report two of our mountain bikes stolen from Verge Condos at 3213 Harbor Ave. SW sometime between 10:30 pm Friday night and 11:00 am Saturday morning. The bikes were stolen from our condo garage and the cable lock cut.
Bike descriptions:
Women’s Novara 2013 Pika Mountain Bike – light blue and white
Men’s Specialized Hard Rock Mountain Bike – royal blue and black
Let police know if you’ve seen them.
We also have word of a stolen go-kart:
That was reported by Shyla, who said it was taken from her backyard on June 6th, near 39th/104th in Arbor Heights, and she adds: “In light of the most recent arrest of a guy just a few blocks away from our house I’m guessing there might be a connection. Would just like people to see the kart in case it shows up around the neighborhood or garage sales.”
On the edge of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining contiguous forest, the Nature Consortium rallied staffers, volunteers, and community members to a Saturday celebration. At the heart of it was a mayoral proclamation held above by NC’s Monica Thomas (right), with founder/executive director Nancy Whitlock: It was “Soundway Day” (proclamation closeup here) in honor of the years-in-the-making rescue and restoration of WDG land once earmarked for homes and roads. It was also a chance for the group to hold its annual “Golden Shovel” presentation recognizing an exceptional volunteer – this time, Tim Jaureguy:
We recorded video of the official presentation, following some words on behalf of Soundway, and recognition for two others before and after the giving of the “Golden Shovel”:
Funding for the party was part of a grant related to the ongoing work at the site; Marination (WSB sponsor) brought the food, and NC brought plenty of activities, including art for the smallest attendees:
This is a big summer for Nature Consortium – not only bringing back the Arts in Nature Festival (August 10-11 at Camp Long), but also, recruiting a successor to Whitlock, who recently announced her plan for a sabbatical. She told us Saturday that the executive director job is scheduled to be officially posted July 1st.
P.S. The Nature Consortium could use YOUR help in the West Duwamish Greenbelt – just about any time. Here’s how to join in.
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