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WSB Holiday Guide: New Year’s Eve/Day now in the spotlight
December 26, 2012 11:10 am
|    Comments Off on WSB Holiday Guide: New Year’s Eve/Day now in the spotlight
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

(New Year’s 2011 Space Needle fireworks photographed from West Seattle by Cnellis Photography)
Now that Christmas is past, it’s time to get serious about New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – next Monday and Tuesday. So we’re making sure you know that events for both occasions are listed in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, which we’ve been updating all season long since before Thanksgiving; NYE/NYD is at the top of the page now – and there’s room for more! If you’re presenting – or know of – an open-to-the-public event for either NYE/NYD that isn’t listed there yet, please let us know so we can add it – editor@westseattleblog.com. (That goes for community groups as well as businesses – if it’s a special event, party, gala dinner menu, etc., send the basic info along! Special church services, too. Thanks!)

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Designing a new school: Notes on the Genesee Hill site plan
December 26, 2012 10:30 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Genesee Hill | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

If you’re not on the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council e-mail list – or otherwise involved in the process, you might not know they’re sharing early updates from discussions about the new school to be built on the Genesee Hill Elementary site and opened in fall 2015 (assuming funding is approved by voters in the February vote on the Seattle Public Schools BEX IV levy). This morning’s GSNC update includes notes from a meeting earlier this month, outlining how the current site will be used:

On Dec. 15 (which happened to be the day after the Newtown, CT, school tragedy), the School Design Advisory Team (SDAT) met to explore possible layouts for the new elementary school to be built on the Genesee Hill site. A variety of possibilities were explored, and the design was narrowed down to one for the architects to further explore and assess from a feasibility and cost standpoint.

Here is a summary of what was included in this design (apologies that it is a text description, but no drawings or plans are currently available):

Read More

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West Seattle Wednesday: ‘Tis the day after Christmas …
December 26, 2012 6:03 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Eagles Above Alki Point 2012.358
(Eagles above Alki Point, 12/23/2012, by Danny McMillin, from the WSB Flickr group pool)
… and fewer non-wildlife creatures are likely to be stirring, so we’re not publishing a standalone traffic/transit tracker today. But there’s a transportation reminder here along with other notes:

TRANSIT TODAY: Metro is on a “reduced weekday” schedule for the rest of the week. The Water Taxi is back in service, regular schedule. And as of last night, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry run was back to three boats (check here for updates).

TRASH ETC. PICKUP TODAY: If you have Tuesday service, you’re supposed to get pickup today – everybody’s delayed a day for the rest of this week (and next week, same thing, Tuesday-Friday pickup will be a day later).

TREE-RECYCLING PICKUPS START TOO: Today through January 13th, dropoffs or pickups – explained here.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library – details here.

GET AN E-READER FOR CHRISTMAS? Drop-in clinic on e-books and audiobooks at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson), 2-4 pm.

POETRY AND STORYTELLING: Monthly event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW) is tonight, 7-9 pm, with featured readers Rayn Roberts and Ian Hegwood, followed by open-mike readings – more info here.

‘WINTER WONDERETTES’: Final week for the holiday production at ArtsWest in The Junction, 7:30 pm.

YOUR TURN: Open-mike night at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW), 9 pm.

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West Seattle Christmas: ‘Random act of kindness’ on the road
December 25, 2012 11:59 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Another tale of people helping people arrived in the WSB inbox this Christmas Day night. Everyone involved had West Seattle ties – but it happened many miles away:

My husband and I, Ric and Diane Ferrero of the Arroyos, wanted to share why we love West Seattleites. On Christmas Day, we were heading back home to West Seattle after spending a couple of days with our grandkids and family in Spokane. Heading over Snoqualmie Pass, chains were required so we pulled over to chain up. There were a lot of cars on the side of the road chaining up before heading over the pass. The guy behind us was done with his and he came over to help us with our chains. He said that he worked for Les Schwab and we asked where and he said he was the manager of the new West Seattle store. He didn’t want any money for his help, just thought he would lend us a hand. We just want to say thank you to our new best friend Chris Ackland, manager of Les Schwab in West Seattle. Here is a picture of Chris and Ric puttng on the chains before we head over the pass. Thanks, Chris!

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West Seattle Christmas lights: One more show on the map
December 25, 2012 6:11 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news


View West Seattle Christmas lights, 2012 in a larger map

We’re bringing out the West Seattle Christmas Lights map tonight because we just got word of one more home to add. From Ken and Cora:

We have another light show up and running. Its one that’s inspired by the Helmstetler family show and we use similar equipment, although a much more modest display (this year, at least). Our light show follows a number of Holiday songs and we broadcast on FM at 101.9 MhZ and have a small set of speakers set up, too.

We are located at 4120 38th AVE SW (just a few blocks away from the Helmstetler family display).

Currently our shows occur at 6:00PM, 6:40PM, 7:20PM, 8:00PM and 8:40PM. The program lasts about half an hour.

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West Seattle Christmas 2012: Local holiday music, online
December 25, 2012 4:17 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Christmas 2012: Local holiday music, online
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Heard all those classic holiday favorites way too many times by now? Here are a few more holiday selections – recorded in West Seattle. Above, Belles and Beaux performing “Carol of the Wise Men” at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) earlier this month – you can find other seasonal performances on the Tibbetts YouTube channel (choral, keyboard, more). Meantime, we also happened onto 4th graders from Hope Lutheran School with a simple, short and sweet version of “Jingle Bells” :

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‘Seattle’s First Christmas’: Imagining the 1851 holiday at Alki
December 25, 2012 12:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Tweeted early today by HistoryLink.org: A tale of what “Seattle’s First Christmas” might have been like for the Denny Party settlers, 161 years ago. One feature the story has in common with today: Pouring rain. Read it here.

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Merry Christmas! West Seattle holiday hours for coffee, restaurants, grocery stores, and other info
December 25, 2012 6:03 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

(Decorated boats accompanying the Christmas Ship at Lowman Beach, 12/8/12; photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
Merry Christmas! Here’s some info we hope will be helpful on this holiday:

TRANSIT: Metro’s on a Sunday schedule; no Water Taxi; the Fauntleroy state-ferry route is on a 2-boat schedule.

TRASH/RECYCLING ON ONE-DAY DELAY: No pickup today – everything for the rest of the week is on one-day delay, so if you usually have Tuesday service, it’s tomorrow instead.

COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: Condensed from our full holiday list, here’s who told us they’d be open today:
Alki Juice and Java: 9 am– 2 pm
Caffé Delia (WSB sponsor): 9 am–12 pm
Caffé Ladro: 7 am–12 pm
Café Rozella: 8 am–2 pm
Diva Espresso: 8 am–1 pm
Freshy’s Coffee: 8 am–2 pm
Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor): 8 am–2 pm
Red Cup Espresso: 8 am–12 pm
Starbucks Admiral, Morgan Junction, 35th/Fauntleroy: 7 am–4 pm
Tully’s on Alki: 6 am–6 pm

RESTAURANTS OPEN TODAY: 13 told us they would be open today/tonight. Find them on our holiday restaurant-hours list.

GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: QFC and Safeway are open today – hours are on our holiday list.

CHURCH SERVICES: There are four Christmas Day services on our holiday list – see it here.

MOVIES: West Seattle’s Admiral Theater is open this afternoon/evening – here’s the schedule

WEST SEATTLE LIGHTS: The music-synched lights at 39th/Charlestown will run till midnight tonight – full schedule (and song lists) here.

NEWS: WSB never closes. Hoping for a quiet day, but if you see/hear news, text/call as always, any time – 206-293-6302 – or, if it’s not urgent, e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Snow no longer expected
December 25, 2012 3:57 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo courtesy Jason Grotelueschen)
The “snow” that fell during Hope Lutheran Church‘s Christmas Eve services is apparently the only kind anyone in West Seattle will be seeing this holiday – the forecast has changed. The late-night forecast update from the National Weather Service now only mentions snow as a possibility for our neighbors across Puget Sound – and that’s reinforced by the 3 am “forecast discussion,” which basically says it’s not cold enough.

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West Seattle Christmas Eve: Local animator investigates ‘Santa…?’
December 24, 2012 6:30 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Santa is real. (We explained why we believe, in our own way, toward the end of the very first thing we ever published on WSB, exactly seven years ago.) Of course, there are doubters. The concept is explored charmingly in West Seattle independent video producer/animator Heather Arment‘s video, shared above.

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West Seattle Christmas Eve: ‘Kindness, compassion are the antidote’
December 24, 2012 3:08 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Out of the WSB inbox, from a West Seattle resident:

Earlier today my husband was recipient of a random act of kindness; he found a card underneath his windshield wipers, inside was crisp new $10.00 bill with note that said “A random act to honor one of the 26 lost in Connecticut. Kindness and compassion are the antidote. Please, if you can, pay it forward. ”

I thought it was so cool, that it made my day. I hope it will do the same for you. Merry Christmas!

The e-mail doesn’t say where exactly this happened – but that really doesn’t matter, in this case.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Seen this stolen Chevy Tahoe?
December 24, 2012 1:40 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Since many stolen vehicles are found close to the scene of the crime – this one may be somewhere on the peninsula: We just received an e-mail report of a green 2002 Chevy Tahoe z71 (photo above) stolen from a home near 35th/Hudson last night. License plate is 767 PXH; you’ll likely notice a broken passenger-side window. It’s SPD case 12-438190, if you see it and call 911 as SPD always advises.

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West Seattle Whale Watch: Christmas Eve orca visit
December 24, 2012 11:32 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

11:32 AM: Earlier this morning, Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales texted us about orcas sighted off Maury Island. That was a little too far south for West Seattleites to see, so we didn’t mention it here, but now he says they’re headed back north again – along Colvos Passage, on the west side of Vashon, so they might be visible a bit later off North Vashon or Blake Island. Let us know if you see them!

12:46 PM UPDATE: Commenters on the Orca Network Facebook page have seen them within the last few minutes off Olalla (map) – still a ways before they would emerge back into the open Sound off north Vashon Island.

1:37 PM UPDATE: Orca Network commenters are also talking about a DIFFERENT group heading south from Richmond Beach/Carkeek area – could be a whale of a lot of whales off West Seattle if these groups keep heading their respective ways.

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West Seattle Monday: Happy Christmas Eve 2012!
December 24, 2012 10:06 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

(The Olympics this morning, by Nick Adams for WSB)
Happy Christmas Eve! For today’s highlights, it’s mostly a list of the lists we’ve been compiling, with (hopefully) helpful information as you wonder “who’s open and when”:

CHRISTMAS EVE CHURCH SERVICES (and a few on Christmas Day): See the list here

TRANSIT CHANGES TODAY (AND TOMORROW): See the list here

GROCERY-STORE HOURS TODAY (AND TOMORROW): See the list here

RESTAURANTS OPEN TODAY (AND TOMORROW): See the list here

COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY (AND TOMORROW): See the list here

LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING? RETAILERS OPEN TODAY: See the list here (and please let us know about additions – this is a crowdsourced last-minute list, unlike our others)

****Also happening today****

GIFT WRAPPING: One last round of “Wrap It Up” with Furry Faces Foundation and AARF: These two animal-advocacy groups are wrapping gifts by donation (you decide how much), with 100 percent of the donations going to help animals. 2 – 7 pm at Beveridge Place Pub, 6413 California SW.

SANTA AT WESTWOOD VILLAGE: 10 am-5 pm (in the old Dress Barn space this year, if you haven’t been yet).

CHRISTMAS EVE AT WEST SEATTLE LIGHTS: The Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular features free hot chocolate 6-8 pm – it’s part of our holiday-lights list (including an updated map of spots around West Seattle) on the WSB Holiday Guide page.

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Last-minute West Seattle holiday shopping: Christmas Eve hours
December 24, 2012 9:25 am
|    Comments Off on Last-minute West Seattle holiday shopping: Christmas Eve hours
 |   Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

We’ve already put together four holiday lists – Christmas Eve church services (here), Christmas Eve/Day restaurants (here), coffee shops (here), and grocery stores (here) – but it didn’t occur to us until last night that you might also find it helpful to have a list of retailers’ Christmas Eve hours, if you (like me) find yourself shopping at the last minute. So we put out a call on the WSB Facebook page and did a little looking around. Results are below. Not comprehensive, but it includes those who responded and those whose holiday hours we have found so far (FB, Twitter, Web) – if you want to be on this list, please add yours in a comment, or e-mail us, and we’ll add you:

Alki Beach Tattoo (merchandise too) – 11 am-5 pm
Atomic Boys – 10 am-2 pm
Avalon Glassworks – 10 am-4 pm
Bartell Drugs (both WS locations) – 8 am-9 pm
Bin 41 – 11 am-6 pm
Capco Beverages (WSB sponsor; use this coupon!) – 10 am-7 pm
CAPERS – 10 am-4 pm
Carmilia’s – 11 am-5 pm
Chico’s – 9 am-6 pm
City Mouse Studio and Store – 10 am-3 pm
Clementine – 11 am-5 pm
Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) – 10 am-5 pm
Curious Kidstuff – 10 am-5 pm
Home Depot – 6 am-5 pm
JF Henry & Co. (WSB sponsor) – Open till 4 pm
Mind Unwind: 10 am-5 pm
Shanti Salon and Day Spa (WSB sponsor) – till 3 pm
The Beer Junction – 10 am-4 pm
The Wash Dog (WSB sponsor) – Open till 4 pm
Twilight Artist Collective – 11 am-3 pm
West Seattle Cellars (WSB sponsor) – 11 am-7 pm
West Seattle Fabric Company – 10 am-2 pm
West Seattle Nursery – 9 am-4 pm (a few trees left, WSN tells us)
Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) – 11 am-2 pm

Again, check back again later; we’ll add any other retailers who comment or e-mail. Happy Christmas Eve! (Photo credit: Junction Christmas tree by Nick Adams for WSB, 12/1/2012)

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West Seattle transit reminders for Christmas Eve/Day
December 23, 2012 9:49 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle transit reminders for Christmas Eve/Day
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(Water Taxi’s downtown dock just after sunset Friday, by Lise Thivierge)
Reminders for everybody who’ll be using transit the next two days – here are the announced schedule plans:

CHRISTMAS EVE (Monday)
Metro – “reduced weekday” schedule
West Seattle Water Taxi – regular schedule
Sound Transit – Sunday schedule
Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy route – regular schedule

CHRISTMAS DAY (Tuesday)
Metro – Sunday schedule
West Seattle Water Taxi – no service
Sound Transit – Sunday schedule
Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy route – regular schedule

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Roxhill Castle vandalized
December 23, 2012 9:17 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

If you live near Roxhill Park, or pass by, please take an extra-close look – especially now that Whitney McBride, co-volunteer organizer for the community-built Roxhill Castle play-area project, reports that graffiti/tagging vandals have struck: “Our wonderfully community-built park was graffiti’ed. I’m not sure when, as we haven’t been by lately. Sadly I knew it was bound to happen, just hoped it wouldn’t at least for a while. I’m sure it’ll get cleaned up way before opening, but if folks could keep an eye out & call in anything suspicious, that’d be great.” (As noted here yesterday, the opening was at one point set for this weekend, but it’s been postponed – no new date set yet.)

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West Seattle Christmas lights: Map updated, if you’re headed out
December 23, 2012 6:00 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Christmas lights: Map updated, if you’re headed out
 |   West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

For those planning to go out looking at Christmas lights, we’ve added a few more stops to the map, including the home above (3726 Belvidere – thanks to Logan for the photo), Fauntlee Hills (the west side is most brightly lit – turn onto 41st SW from Barton, and both 41st and Concord have sights to see), and the home in the 7900 block of 32nd SW that we featured last year (Kevin says it’s all lit up again).


View West Seattle Christmas lights, 2012 in a larger map

Any more updates tonight, please let us know – then the map’s a wrap for the season, since we’ve observed over the years that some turn their lights off after Christmas Eve.

P.S. One of the spots on the map, the Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular/West Seattle Lights, will have free hot chocolate 6-8 pm Christmas Eve.

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West Seattle holidays: Eat, drink, be merry … and read!
December 23, 2012 1:30 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

We’re reminded that besides “eat, drink, and be merry,” another good holiday exhortation is: Read! Kids from Gatewood Elementary got in that spirit with a brisk stroll to a Morgan Junction coffee shop on Friday; principal Rhonda Claytor shared the photo and report:

Students from Gina Frazzini’s class at Gatewood Elementary had a reading celebration at Starbucks (Friday). The students walked to Starbucks to enjoy a book and a hot cocoa. It was a great way to start a great book for the Winter Break! Thank you, Starbucks!

Yet another reminder – we’ve compiled holiday hours (Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day) for coffee shops around West Seattle (and a couple in White Center), in case you’re looking for a place to read – or just to get your favorite beverage – see the list here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Reader reports thwarted theft
December 23, 2012 12:28 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

From Kim, who suggests others be on the lookout for a would-be thief spotted late this morning:

Just thought I would pass along that my husband, a friend and I just caught and stopped a bike theft. We noticed this guy walking through our side yard (there’s no fence but still odd for people to walk through our yard) at around 11AM. He was walking very slowly and even paused when we caught each other’s gaze through my window. I walked outside and caught him grabbing my neighbors old bike from under a pile of other items. When I yelled to him that those items were not his, he didn’t even jump. He just stood up and walked out of the yard slowly and even had to pass me to get out of the yard. Very strange and totally brazen considering it was midday on a weekend. Thankfully I had my husband and his friend here to run outside and make sure he didn’t try to come back. This guy was African American, late teens to early 20’s, wearing a black jacket with a white hoody layered underneath, black jeans and a ball cap. He left walking south on California Ave. We live on the 2100 block of California. Keep a lookout for this guy, he was obviously not scared of getting caught and may try this in someone else’s yard.

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West Seattle Sunday: What’s happening Christmas Eve-Eve
December 23, 2012 10:48 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Varied thrush, photographed in West Seattle recently by Trileigh Tucker)
In case you haven’t already found all this in the ongoing WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide (all holiday events through New Year’s Day) and year-round Event Calendar – highlights for the rest of today/tonight:

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A CHRISTMAS EVE-EVE FARMERS’ MARKET: Year-round means year-round! (photo added @ noon – tulips at Alm Hill Gardens, southwest side of market)

Now till 2 pm, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market is on at 44th/Alaska in The Junction.

CAROLING FOR FOOD BANK DONATIONS: 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! We will also be collecting cash or check donations for the West Seattle/White Center Food Banks. Thanks, West Seattle and White Center neighbors!”

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: That’s what Friends of the Animals Foundation hopes you can provide, as they hold another cat-adoption event noon-3 pm today at Next to Nature in The Junction.

(added) ALSO SEEKING HOMES: Just found out that TODAY is actually Kitty Harbor‘s last day this winter – so, noon-6 pm, they’re open with more than two dozen cats/kittens awaiting forever homes. Harbor Avenue, just north of the bridge.

WINE TASTING: Stottle Winery (WSB sponsor) welcomes you at their West Seattle tasting room, street level of ActivSpace at 3400 Harbor Avenue SW, just north of the bridge.

SANTA! Two chances we know of – at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 1:30-5:30 pm (their website says otherwise but after a reader tip, we just called to confirm the change), and Westwood Village (hours and Santa listed here).

‘WRAP IT UP’: Gift wrapping with Furry Faces Foundation and AARF: These two animal-advocacy groups are wrapping gifts by donation (you decide how much), with 100 percent of the donations going to help animals. Today’s your second to last chance, 1 – 6 pm at Beer Junction, 4511 California SW.

LAST CHANCE TO SEE ‘SANTA’S FIRST MAGICAL RIDE’: “Santa’s First Magical Ride: The Musical” (WSB sponsor) concludes premiere run, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – 2 pm. According to the show’s Facebook page, admission is “pay what you will/can.”

CHRISTMAS VAUDEVILLE AND SINGALONG: 3 pm today at Kenyon Hall: Comedy juggling, live music by the Bottom Line Duo, Bob White at the Mighty Wurlitzer, and Lou Magor conducting the audience in a Christmas sing-along. Reservations and ticket info here.

THE WINTER WONDERETTES! ArtsWest presents the “new ’60s Christmas musical,” matinee at 3 pm. Details and ticket sales are on the ArtsWest website.

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Singer-songwriter Sarah Burgess, 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW.

BENEFIT YOGA CLASS: Bikram Yoga in The Junction is offering a class at 5 pm today to support a local family in need – details in the calendar listing.

CHRISTMAS LIGHT RUN: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) organizes this annual event:

Our Christmas light run is Sunday night at 6. We are doing about 3 miles, give or take, at a slow pace, and checking out some of the better light neighborhoods around the store, finishing at the Helmstetler house. Dress up, light up, bring a can of food to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank, and enjoy a fun run with other West Seattleittes!

WSR is on the northwest corner of California and Charlestown, second floor. Meet at 5:50 pm.

SPEAKING OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Our map is in the Holiday Guide. Couple more additions will be there by nightfall.

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Candlelight, songs on Alki to honor Newtown victims and survivors
December 23, 2012 4:16 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Nick Adams
for West Seattle Blog

The 3,000 miles between Seattle and Newtown, Connecticut, closed in a heartbeat Saturday night – a heartbeat and a candle flame:

Though a chilly wind buffeted the 30 or so who gathered for a candlelight vigil – the first public gathering in West Seattle to honor the Connecticut community rocked by inexplicable deadly violence – the heartbeat, and heartbreak, could almost be heard. It came with the reading of victims’ names, each evoking an image, innocent child, heroic teacher…

It came with quiet songs – from “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” to “Silent Night” …

The grief for those lost burned bright, though eight long days had passed, and across the country, the final funerals had happened hours earlier.

Those who accepted a slip of paper with a name to read were urged to spend a few moments each day thinking about that person.

And those who came were acknowledged for daring to open up: “It’s difficult to bring a tender heart into a public space, not knowing who you wlll meet,” they were told.

Even with cameras and lights, the circle held dignity and respect.

Then, as the gathering ebbed after about 40 minutes, Trevor Rasmussen again softly played guitar:

The song – “Fire and Rain.” The latter had held off during the gathering; all the better for the former to burn bright:

As originally reported, the gathering was organized by West Seattle’s Casey Ann Rasmussen (at right in photo above), and supported by Families and Friends of Violent-Crime Victims, whose director Marge Martin joined Casey in speaking very briefly as the vigil began.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Chance of Christmas snow?
December 22, 2012 9:57 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: Chance of Christmas snow?
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

The mid-evening “forecast discussion” from the National Weather Service still holds the possibility of some Christmas Day snow – the possibility that led the NWS to issue this Special Weather Statement advisory earlier today. Still too far away to say for sure, but they’re saying there’s a chance that precipitation will bump into cold air and result in Christmas snow for the first time since December 2008. We’ll keep an eye on how the forecast evolves!

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