For Christmas Eve, we stopped by two more light displays – the peace sign and candy canes (above and below) are at 2707 48th SW (thanks to Lemon for the tip):

Last but not least, Santa and his flamingos can be seen in a festive Westwood yard at 31st/Thistle:

We’re adding them to the short list of Christmas-lights highlights (sorry, we’ll get back to mapmaking next year!) in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide.

Share This

West Seattle scene: Christmas Eve sunset

| Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Christmas Eve sunset

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

6:51 PM: Thanks to JayDee for the photo of tonight’s beautiful sunset, as seen from Upper Alki.

7:55 PM P.S. – If you have a view of the southwestern sky, check out the crescent moon before it sets.

Share This

Big gift to West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA from Kids Need Bikes

| Health | Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

(Photos courtesy West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA)
Thanks to a Seattle-based volunteer group called Kids Need Bikes, dozens of young West Seattleites have new ones just in time for Christmas. The West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) received 90 donated bicycles.

Most of the bicycles donated to the Y through Kids Need Bikes, which believes “every child deserves a bicycle to experience the unique freedom and well-being that only riding a bicycle can offer,” were given to children served by Y programs – the Y’s Joleen Post shared the photos from bike-pickup visits this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The donation even included tricycles for the Y Preschool – shown below with Emilia Holbik and Obie Wilkerson from the preschool:

The trikes are for preschoolers to use while at school. In all, Kids Need Bikes made 200 bicycle donations in the city this holiday season, and it could use your help, via donations of volunteer time and/or money; get more info on its website.

Share This

West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car found – with mystery items inside

December 24, 2014 12:22 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Seattle Police say about three of every four stolen cars turn up somewhere. Today’s West Seattle Crime Watch starts with the latest one.

Eric‘s stolen 1997 Accord was featured here last week, and we got the photos and update from him last night:

I wanted to let you know the King County Sheriff notified me on Saturday he found my car in Skyview. When I went to the impound lot, I found some other victim(s) stolen items in my trunk including opened christmas cards, a lyric/poetry notebook, silver serving platter, a license plate which was not mine and many other items. My belongings were unfortunately missing.

Feel free to share this info if you would like to. Sure wish they would catch these creeps.

Eric had written that his kids’ booster seats were in the car when stolen.

One more Crime Watch note – an early-morning text about car prowls in the 11th/12th/Henderson/Barton area; police were searching shortly after getting the call.

Share This

West Seattle scene: Holiday Basketball Mini-Camp at WSHS

December 24, 2014 11:44 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Holiday Basketball Mini-Camp at WSHS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

West Seattle High School boys’ basketball head coach Keffrey Fazio shares the photo – more than 60 participants at this week’s Holiday Mini-Camp! As for the team, they’re off until a tournament at Mountlake Terrace High School next week.

Share This

West Seattle Wednesday: Christmas Eve 2014 shopping, wrapping, dining, more …

December 24, 2014 9:31 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news

We haven’t quite reached the “…and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse …” part of the day/night yet. So here are some Christmas Eve notes from around West Seattle and vicinity:

SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY … all locations closed today (and of course tomorrow).

RESTAURANTS THAT ARE OPEN: Here’s our list of restaurants that are open anywhere from one to all four of the following – Christmas Eve/Day, New Year’s Eve/Day. Please read it carefully. As we note, we have to make the calls a week or two ahead to get them ALL done, but some establishments change their plans, so please let us know if a change or omission is detected – text/call 206-293-6302 or e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!

GROCERY-STORE HOURS: When do West Seattle supermarkets close tonight? That info’s here.

SHOPPING TODAY: You’ll find many local stores with last-minute hours. Some of the ones we’ve heard from include new WSB sponsor VAIN, 10 am-5 pm, where Rebecca shares these last-minute ideas:

Our favorites are probably the local items we carry – soaps and bath salts from Estrella, jewelry by Siddal (she’s one of our hairstylists), Theo Chocolates, and more. My personal pick would be greeting cards by local artist Mike Doyle (photo), who also is a server at West 5 down the street!

Those would make a cute stationery set with a cute pen from NW Art & Frame. Of course, we also have gift cards for the undecided gift-giver. Those are good towards hair services, hair products, or anything in our boutique.

Also: Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), 10 am-5 pm; Junction True Value (open now, until 4 pm; WSB sponsor); Atomic Boys, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm; Beer Junction, 10 am-7 pm. (added 10:29 am) Emerald Water Anglers and Wallflower Custom Framing, until 2 pm; Wyatt’s Jewelers & Curious Kidstuff, until 4 pm; JF Henry, until “4 or 5” (preceding five are all WSB sponsors); West Seattle Cellars, 11 am-7 pm; (added) Twilight Gallery and Boutique until 5 pm, The General Store Seattle until 7 pm

Anybody else? Contact us and we’ll add to the list!

FREE FOOD: Taqueria El Antojo at the Lincoln Park 76 station is giving away tacos and burritos 11 am-3:30 pm. Same family that has a free-food tradition at Taqueria La Fondita in White Center 11 am-4 pm (details here).

WRAP IT UP: One last session for the Furry Faces Foundation gift-wrap fundraiser – 2-7 pm at Beveridge Place Pub. (6413 California SW)

FREE COCOA TONIGHT AT WEST SEATTLE LIGHTS: 6-8 pm, visit West Seattle Lights/Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular and that’s what awaits you. Don’t forget your West Seattle Food Bank donation! (3908 SW Charlestown)

CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH SERVICES: We’ve moved the list up toward the top of our West Seattle Holiday Guide.

AS FOR US … Open 24/7/365, as always. Today’s the ninth anniversary of the day we started publishing here, though WSB didn’t become a full-service professional/commercial news publication until almost two years later.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Christmas Eve morning watch

December 24, 2014 7:34 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Probably more holiday travelers than headed-to-work commuters on the road this morning, but just in case you have to head out, here’s our usual complement of cameras, plus reminders about the transit changes:

TODAY (Christmas Eve): Metro is on its “reduced weekday” schedule.

TOMORROW (Christmas Day): Metro will be on the Sunday schedule; the Water Taxi will *not* run; Sound Transit Route 560 will be on its Sunday schedule; Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run will be on a normal schedule.

Share This