Alki Arts owner Diane Venti, right, is celebrating her gallery’s 1st anniversary on into tonight – violinist Geoffrey Castle was scheduled to perform starting at 7. In our photo above, Diane is with nearby residents Celest and Karen, who made the first purchase of the day. The gallery’s featured artists today are Karen Dedrickson and John Constantine:

Alki Arts serves as more than a gallery – Diane also has opened it up for community events, from parenting workshops to parties to even a future-of-journalism discussion. It’s at 2820 Alki SW, online at alkiarts.com and on Facebook here (where the party invite says tonight’s festivities continue till 10).

(Fauntleroy ferry dock, fog, Vashon Island; WSB photo by Patrick Sand, added 8:39 am)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

TRAFFIC ALERT: Tonight’s the first of three nights for lane closures on the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct, as part of the widening project. The westbound right lane will be closed 11 pm-5 am. (Also note that the entire westbound stretch will be closed 11 pm-5 am three nights NEXT week, 7/12-7/14.)

UP EARLY? The Westside Professionals business-networking group would love to meet you this morning, 8 am, The Kenney.

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR NEW HOUSING COMMUNITY: Strength of Place Village begins accepting rental applications today. This is a new low-income community in White Center at 14th Ave SW and 100th Ave SW, currently under construction. Sit down with a management rep to fill out an application for housing & ask questions. Child care, light refreshments and interpretation in Spanish, Vietnamese & Somali will be available, according to the announcement. Come to the YWCA Learning Center at Greenbridge (9720 8th SW), 3 pm – 7 pm. Download application here

SEE THE RIVER: The 2011 Summer Community Kayak Tour series by Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition starts tonight, 5:30-8:30pm: RSVP to Alki Kayak Tours (206) 953-0237. Tours cost $45 per person, we also ask for a $5 donation per person to DRCC/TAG to support our educational programs. All equipment, instructions, and guiding are provided. Children under 18 must be accompanied by parent/guardian. Some scholarship funding is available for Duwamish community members; please contact DRCC/TAG for more information. Meet at Terminal 107 Park in West Seattle (4700 West Marginal Way SW). More info

DANCE!: Dance Time with Lauren Petrie (at Bridge Park, which is at 3204 SW Morgan), 1st Wednesday of the month, 7 pm – 9 pm. Tonight’s theme: Summertime.

(added) REALITY SHOW VIEWING PARTY: At Beveridge Place Pub at 6:30 pm tonight, Ian Sutton and friends plan to gather to watch an episode of the reality-show “Bath Crashers,” featuring his firm Green Home Contractors working on a North Seattle bathroom remodel. (If you can’t make the party, the show’s at 7 on the DIY Network.)

Thanks to Nick for sharing the link to this newly released video by the duo Cause and Effect. Not only did we like the song (“Happiness Is Alien”), having a personal fondness for synthpop, but it’s cool to see the West Seattle backdrops that dominate the video (after the first minute or so). The scenery is what won the recommendation from Nick, who says C&E’s Rob Rowe lives here. The song is from their new multisong release “Artificial Construct II,” available July 26th.

(Photos by Michael Brunk, courtesy ArtsWest)
If you’re used to the monthly “Rocky Horror Picture Show” screenings at Admiral Theater – or past experiences – a few things you need to know about “The Rocky Horror Show Live,” opening July 13th at ArtsWest in The Junction. Do NOT bring toast, or rice, or any of the other routinely thrown items. Why? Explained here. However, the ArtsWest notes say, verbal audience participation IS welcome. So you don’t have to be as sweet and innocent as Brad and Janet…

… but do keep in mind, this is a production of the Summer Musical Theater Apprenticeship Program at ArtsWest, and not recommended for those under 16. Our reminder of the upcoming “Rocky Horror” run landed in the inbox Sunday night courtesy of cast member Tyler Webster, who has praise for everyone in what Tyler calls “an amazing cast” and adds, ” All of us are dedicated to this performance and have been balancing school, work, and multiple other commitments.” So show ’em some love – showtimes are 7:30 pm Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays from July 13th through July 23rd, with added 11 pm shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are available online right now – go here. (Theatergoers under 25 pay only $10!)

(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Since our report of two “open” dates for West Seattle’s celebrated Walker Rock Garden revived questions about its status and fate since it went up for sale earlier this year, we asked WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen to check out Friday’s two-hour “open” window. She talked there with its listing agent Brad Cooper, but he would not comment on its status, whether it’s been sold, is still for sale, etc. The sale listing for the 12,700-square-foot site still has the notation “pending feasibility.”

Cooper did say that the current overgrowth visible in some areas of the rock garden is about to be cleaned up for a magazine shoot.

The next listed public “open” date is 9:30 am-10:30 am on July 16th (5407 37th SW); watch walkerrockgarden.net for other dates (and we will too – whenever we find them in advance, we’ll add them to the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.).

(Walker Rock Garden photo courtesy Lita Gill)
Five months ago, the home whose site includes the Walker Rock Garden – a quirky labor of love – was put up for sale. Rather quickly, its listing showed a pending deal … but so far, there is no indication that has closed (the notation remains “pending feasibility“), and for those who have wanted advance notice of chances to see the rock garden, in case its days are numbered, here it is: From time to time we have checked its website, and just happened to find it has two tour dates listed: July 1st (this Friday), 10 am-noon, and July 16th, 9:30-10:30 am. The website also promises “more times to be announced.” (Our previous inquiries asking its owners and realtor for a status update have gone unanswered so far, but we keep trying.) The Walker Rock Garden is at 5407 37th SW; read its backstory here.

During open-mike time at Skylark Café and Club tomorrow (Wednesday) night, around 9 pm, Jason Brunet plans to rap. And, he says, an ABC News TV crew will be there to record him, so perhaps you’d like to be there for the crowd cutaways. Jason has gained media attention lately for an unusual reason: His mom is a “hoarder,” and his family was featured on the reality-TV show “Hoarders.” He also was recently on NBC‘s “Today” (here’s the video clip). Now, he says, ABC’s “20/20” is doing a segment about the children of hoarders, and wants to include video of him performing, so he’s hoping to have a TV-worthy audience at Skylark tomorrow (3803 Delridge Way SW). You can check out his music, by the way, at threeninjas.net.

That’s our video of the All-City Band at the end of last year’s West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade, and you’ll see them again in this year’s parade, coming up Saturday, July 23rd. Two weeks after that, the famed band – led by West Seattle’s own Marcus Pimpleton – will celebrate its 60th anniversary. For the occasion, they’re planning a banquet/auction on August 5 – also here in West Seattle, with tickets are on sale now – and they’re looking for past participants to join an alumni band. From the Friends of All-City Band, this news release:

School’s out for summer, and the Seattle All-City Band begins rehearsals this week in preparation of a summer full of performances in Seafair parades and community celebrations throughout the region. This summer, however, is quite special to the band’s over 120 students, volunteer staff members, and supportive parent base; this marks the 60th edition of the All-City Band program.

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Don’t let your young musician fall out of practice over the summer. Toni Reineke sends word there’s still room in this program (she shared the photo, too):

It’s still not too late to sign up for Summer Music at West Seattle High School! We are nearing our capacity of 60 students, but still have room for a few more.

In its 58th year, it’s taught by Seattle Public Schools music teachers and is for students who just finished 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th grades (other grades by permission).

Designed for students grades 4-8 (student must have completed at least one year of instrumental instruction)
Students who attend Seattle Public Schools as well as private schools are welcome!
Band, strings, jazz band, solos, ensembles, improvisation — and more!
Daily field recesses!
Concerts every Friday at 11:00 a.m.
Weekdays, June 27 – July 15 (except July Fourth), 9:00 to noon.

For more info, please call the Fine and Performing Arts Department at 206-252-0051 or 252-0050, or contact Toni Reineke, Head Teacher, at 206-243-6955 or tonireineke@comcast.net