The “William Tell Overture” – by steel drums! That was just one of the highlights in a night full of music by Denny International Middle School students, performing their Winter Concert across SW Thistle Street at Chief Sealth International High School‘s remodeled auditorium – next door to the new school Denny will occupy later this year. We also have video highlights from seven more of the groups that performed Thursday night as the culmination of four months of hard work – click ahead!
(WSB photos by Ellen Cedergreen) South Seattle Community College‘s food and wine programs are famous in their own right – perhaps because they’re open to even international education, with guests like the team from Spain that came in on Thursday. Among the team that led cooking and wine classes and presentations almost all day was guest sommelier Jesús Sanguino Collado (above). The featured wines and foods were from the Castilla y León region of Spain. Click ahead to see what they tried, and how:Read More
Thanks to Sha’ari from Inner Listening for sharing that photo from tonight’s Westside Symphony rehearsal, during the first West Seattle Community Orchestras sessions of the year. That’s founder Toni Reineke conducting, at top left. Sha’ari says, “Lots of strings but we still need another French horn, trombone, a couple trumpets, another bassoon, two oboes, a bass trombone and a couple celli. No more flutes please – we’ve got a whole cocktail already. It’s fun! Join us next Tues.” The orchestras rehearse on Tuesdays, Chief Sealth International High School – the schedule can be found, with lots more info, on their website.
If you are not part of the local writing scene, you might know West Seattle poet Nicole Hardy best for her work at Circa in the Admiral District. One week ago, a national/international audience got to know her because of her essay published in the New York Times, “Single, Female, Mormon, Alone.” Tonight, Nicole Brodeur of the Seattle Times (WSB partner) follows up with Hardy and reports that the essay was received so sensationally, she now has an agent and a new book deal. (She’s already published two books of poetry, which you can read about on her website.)
As the CD release party for Pearl Jam‘s “Live on Ten Legs” got going at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) less than an hour ago, it was so wall-to-wall, we barely had room to get Shawnte, Mollie, and Melissa to pose with their newly purchased copies of the CD and vinyl versions. Easy Street Recordsis there selling the album, Ten Club is there selling merchandise, and The Feedback has on-loan rare PJ memorabilia on display (in addition to their existing collection):
We’re told the party continues the rest of the night. Or till closing, whichever comes first. Next special event, Fiasco plays live, as a benefit for a nonprofit helping multiple-sclerosis patients, January 29th.
“We keep getting bigger and better, but would like to fill in some of our smaller sections,” says Toni Reineke of West Seattle Community Orchestras, with days to go till their first rehearsal of the year (last week was “snowed out”). She elaborates:
We especially need cellos, string basses, trumpets, and percussion—and oboe and bassoon, of course!
If you are a beginner or haven’t played for a while, don’t be shy! We have three orchestras spanning beginning to advanced levels.
Pre-register online at wscorchestras.org, then be ready to rehearse on Tuesday night at Chief Sealth International High School. E-mail Toni with questions, tonireineke@comcast.net.
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Besides the monthly West Seattle Art Walk (see our previous report), Thursday night brought another major art event – the West Seattle High School Winter Art Expo, a juried show. Here’s a group of WSHS ceramics students and their teacher – from left: Korina, Nelsy, Silvee, teacher Michelle Sloan, Regine, and Justice:
Parents, jurors, and students perused a vast array of “Me Boxes,” one of three featured mediums:
What’s in a “Me Box,” you ask? They are process boxes the students make and decorate.
WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen, who covered the expo, explains that each panel represents a different part of the student, in the following layout: The outside top of the box represents who the students appear to be to the world; the inside is meant to show how the student sees her/himself; the four outer walls represent one of four emotions – peace, sadness, anger, and joy. WSHS student Socheata Thon told Ellen that the inside of hers is primarily dedicate to speed since she is fast, “like a cheetah”:
Here are WSHS students Jordan Jackson and Tyler Johnson with their “Me Boxes”:
Retired Ballard High School art teacher Jane Morris (in the next photo with WSHS student Maxwell Zimmerman), was a juror:
Jane told WSB that students were judged primarily on how well they executed their own artistic intent, which they wrote out as “artist statements.” Jurors read the statements before sitting down with students for one-on-one critiques. The expo included 10 professionals judging more than 200 students; winners will be announced in class today.
Not only is next Thursday night — one week from tonight — the monthly West Seattle Art Walk, it’s also a chance to celebrate student art at West Seattle High School.
Fine arts teacher Martha Tonkin says the WSHS Winter Art Expo is set for 4-8 pm next Thursday in the school library:
We will have 200 Drawing & Painting/Ceramics students exhibiting their artwork and ceramic pieces in a large show, judged by 10 professional artists/art instructors. Music, food, a beautiful setting, and a feeling of “celebrating the arts” makes this a fun event to drop in on, as the teen artists are available to speak about their work, similar to an art opening in a gallery setting.
Meantime, another set of student artists showed their work last month. 10 professional photographers judged the work of 60 high-school students at the WSHS Photo Expo in December. Among them, Highland Park’s Dina Lydia Johnson, who also put together a Flickr gallery with more than 60 photos of participants and their work. Here’s one of the winners:
That’s Zaya Wylde-Page, whose work was honored as “most professional.” Next on the winner list shared by the school, Francisco Morseletto, for “most ethereal”:
The rest of the winner list, and the judges and coordinators, after the jump:Read More
(12/15/2010 video of Westside Symphony performing “Nutcracker” selections)
From Rob Duisberg with West Seattle Community Orchestras – one week from tonight, your chance to join!
The West Seattle Community Orchestras are beginning their spring season on Tuesday evening, January 11th, at Chief Sealth International High School at 2600 SW Thistle.
The orchestras welcome all musicians. There are three different orchestras to suit your individual skill level, from our beginning strings ensemble to the Westside Symphony playing the great standard orchestral repertoire, and each group is open to all ages.
We are particularly interested in recruiting string, double reed and percussion players. So if your instrument has been in the closet too long, make this New Year the time to reconnect with the joy of fine music-making in a fun, inclusive atmosphere!
Visit us at wscorchestras.org and click on the Registration Page, or e-mail us at westsidesymph@gmail.com, or call Toni Reineke at 206.243.6955 for more information.
If you go play trivia tonight at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), wish Charlie Beck luck at the upcoming 14th annual Seattle Elvis Invitationals. He’s the second West Seattleite to enter the Kingly fray, according to Marlow Harris, who notes that Charlie not only hosts Tuesday night “Entertainment That Rocks” trivia at The Feedback, he also performs with the popular local band Memphis Radio Kings. According to Marlow, he’s got a hunka-hunka “Burnin’ Love” on tap for the contest. At left, she provided a photo of him from The Feedback’s Elvis Death Day event last August. Also contending, Bret Wiggins, who came in second last year – here’s video from that almost-winning performance. You can see them face off (along with more than two dozen other Elvises – or if you prefer, Elvii) — fringe, sequins, sideburns and all — at Club Motor in SODO this Saturday – the day The King would have turned 75. Marlow notes that the treats on sale will include fried peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches (“with and without bacon”).
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
In our previous coverage of the new West Seattle restaurant Avalon, which officially opened this afternoon at 2940 Avalon Way SW in the Luna Park business district, we’ve talked about the food, and the coffee – but the art is part of the story, too. It’s all by Diann Sales:
She’s the sister of co-proprietor and head Chef Deborah Breuler – at right in this next photo with co-proprietor Mary Palmer (Deborah had answered questions about their plans in one of our earliest reports):
Diann’s work incorporated many repurposed materials found at the site (the photo above shows her in front of a collage done on an old door they turned up). More Avalon photos ahead:
Six months after Diane Venti and artist husband Tom Wyrick took over the space vacated by All the Best Pet Care, between Alki Urban Market and Cactus, their business Alki Arts is celebrating its first half-year right now: 10 percent off everything, till 7 tonight. Refreshments, mingling, and art admiration free:
As reported here when they opened in July, the gallery rents space to artists, as well as selling some pieces on commission. They also rent the gallery as an event space (not just arts events – a snippet of a Journalism That Matters gathering there this fall wound up on YouTube, with Diane explaining how WSB coverage and social media helped her get the word out when her business started [we weren’t at the meeting; the clip was posted by a JTM member]). Right now, they continue to sublet the space from All the Best, whose owner Susan Moss is praised by Diane for her support, including affordable rent.
If you have looked at – and/or participated in – the WSB photo pool on Flickr, you have likely admired the work of Machel Spence, whose favored subject is mushrooms, and other fungi. She e-mailed us today to share the news that her photos are now on display at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction, today through the end of the month, and she’ll be there on January 13 to meet anyone interested in talking about them. She also says her photos are under consideration for a book, too! By the way, January 13 happens to be the first West Seattle Art Walk of the year – 6-9 pm; we’ll have the full list of venues (which changes quarter-by-quarter, and this WSAW starts a new quarter) as soon as it’s available.
Joan has been noticing some apparent “guerrilla art” around town and e-mailed us twice in the past few weeks about them. We made no progress in divining their source otherwise, so we’re asking you. Above is the photo she took yesterday of the latest artwork to appear, this one on a utility pole near 45th SW/Fauntleroy (map), but she says today it’s since disappeared, and the wires from which it hung appear to have been cut. Joan says it recently replaced a similar artwork with the word FISH on it, a lot like the one she pointed us to earlier this month at California/Brandon (map):
Joan sums up, “I am curious as to who is doing this interesting art installation? Any ideas?”
Two arts businesses in West Seattle are about to celebrate milestones:
TWILIGHT ARTIST COLLECTIVE TELLS ITS STORY: January will mark six years for Twilight Artist Collective. It didn’t begin in West Seattle – but this is now its only home (next to Easy Street Records in The Junction). Twilight’s Mary Enslow decided to celebrate early by recounting the “strange and cool” story of how she and her co-proprietors met – a story that spans half the globe, from Rome to Pike Place Market. Click to read “How The TwAC Did We Get Here?”.
ALKI ARTS’ SIX-MONTH-IVERSARY SALE: Diane Venti is proud to proclaim that Alki Arts has made it six months, and will celebrate with a sale and party this Sunday (January 2nd), noon-7 pm. Everything’s 10 percent off, and they’ll have dessert and refreshments. If you haven’t been to Alki Arts – it’s at 2820 Alki SW, next to Cactus.
(WSB photos from July 2010, 1st concert of this year’s series)
Think summer in winter! West Seattle’s hottest outdoor-concert series is getting ready to line up next summer’s acts. From Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum:
The Admiral Neighborhood Association is now accepting Band Submissions for our 2011 Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park. Concert dates will be July 28th, August 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th, and September 1st. The ANA asks that bands include website information (or other means by which we may listen to music samples), number of band members and staging/sound requirements, and the best means of contacting the band. We also request that you submit your band’s fee for a 90 minute set, including a 10 minute break. When determining your fee for submission to play our series, you may wish to take into account the community, not-for-profit nature of our organization, and the high degree of visibility your group would receive as a series participant (last summer’s audiences numbered up to 1,200 people).
Please note that the ANA’s Summer Concert Series is a free, family outdoor concert event in a residential neighborhood.
The ANA will receive submissions through January 15, 2011; please submit to katy.walum@gmail.com. We hope to announce our 2011 series schedule by January 31st.
If you or your business is interested in sponsoring the 2011 ANA Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park, please contact Dave Weitzel at dave@weitzelconstruction.com.
In a week with few other official government events, Mayor McGinn briefed the media tonight on the status of the “Nightlife Initiative“ he announced in July. The full status report is here (PDF). Many of the components only affect other parts of the city, but of note citywide, the proposal to pursue “flexible liquor-service hours” – such as later cutoff times – is still in play. Discussing the results of 2,400 comments tallied on the initiative, the mayor’s report says “… more than 80 percent of online respondents agreed or strongly agreed that, ‘Extending service hours will make our streets safer.'” The city acknowledges it would need to develop a proposal to present to the state, and says that the guidelines for “exploring” the idea would include:
Conditional license
1. Privilege for bar owners
2. Started as a pilot
3. Use of data throughout the process
4. Reduces police resources
5. Resolution of City Council needed for adoption
As for existing rules, the report includes an update on what the city’s interdepartmental Code Compliance Team is finding. Citywide, the number of businesses where sales/consumption of alcohol is allowed rose 18 percent in 2010, the report says, from 1,497 in 2009 to 1,766 in 2010. Fewer than 1 in 7 had “noncompliance issues”; of those, the Southwest Precinct (West Seattle/South Park) area had the smallest number – 10 – and the report says 9 of those fixed the problems, with 1 still a work in progress. Meantime, the report also notes a new law that’s about to take effect:
The Nighttime Disturbance Ordinance was passed by the City Council on August 2, 2010. It creates a new civil infraction for loud noise, threats or fighting that occur in a public place in a commercial or industrial zone between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. The noise provisions of the ordinance were approved by the Department of Ecology in November and SPD is currently conducting officer training on the ordinance. Enforcement will begin in January 2011.
Again, you can read the entire Nightlife Initiative report here.
(Photo by Christopher Nelson)
West Seattle/Los Angeles filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin is shooting a new rock ‘n’ roll film – explained here. He shared the photo from a shoot last week at Morgan Junction’s own Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), adding, ” We will be shooting around West Seattle and downtown over the next several weeks.” In fact, you could find yourself part of it, if this announcement he included sounds like you:
CASTING CALL:
LOADED feature film shooting Wednesday 29th in Seattle. Looking for interesting characters in unique attire. If interested, e-mail: theloadedproject@gmail.com
Though the film centers on rocker Duff McKagan‘s current group Loaded, it’s not a documentary – Chamberlin shared his synopsis, and you can read it after the jump:Read More
(WSB photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
As promised, a few more of the West Seattle business windows painted with holiday scenes – seemed to us like there were more than usual this year, so we thought it would be fun to showcase some on Christmas Eve/Day; we showed the Talarico’s tribute to Bob Ross earlier. In this roundup, the top and below photo are from the display that’s generated the most buzz in The Junction – Puerto Vallarta‘s fun-loving, thong-sporting holiday entourage:
Those are by Sign Savant, Japhy Witte with Z. Rockstad; SS also painted the tamer scenes at West Seattle Coins and Courtesy Tire:
At Northwest Art and Frame, a rare non-Sign Savant window creation. This one’s by TJ Swier of TJ Grafix:
We’re planning to show a few more windows tomorrow.
After noticing so many festively painted store windows in West Seattle, particularly in The Junction, we asked WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen to photograph some of them for us to feature Christmas Eve/Day. We’ll publish a few installments tonight/tomorrow but this one kicks it off – the Bob Ross tribute in the windows at Talarico’s, by Sign Savant‘s Japhy Witte and Z. (Zach) Rockstad (who painted the vast majority of what we spotted). P.S. If you don’t remember Bob Ross – think public TV, painting, gentle voice, big hair. A closer look at some of the scenes:
If you were among the hundreds at the West Seattle Junction Tree Lighting earlier this month, you’ll remember the Endolyne Children’s Choir. When they resume their Tuesday practices post-holidays, they’ll be welcoming new members – here’s the invitation from L. Medina:
The Endolyne Children’s Choir is wrapping up a busy Fall Session where we were able to perform for the West Seattle community at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, Mt. St. Vincent’s, Park West, the December 4th Christmas Tree Lighting, and our annual holiday concert @ St. John’s Church. We are a non-audition choir, led by music director Maria Johnson, and we are pleased to welcome our new Encore and Debut choir director; Amy Stagno for the winter Session which starts January 4th. Our Debut Choir (grades K-2), Encore Choir (grades 3-5), and Advanced Ensemble Choir (grades 6-8) all practice Tuesday nights at St. John’s Church next to the West Seattle High School. Our purpose is to teach the joy of singing in a community setting that fosters self confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong appreciation for music. To learn more or sign your child up for our next session visit us at: www.endolynechoir.org
Here’s some music for your morning: Video/photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux produced 16 minutes of highlights from several of the student groups — vocal and instrumental — who rocked the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium during the music program‘s Winter Concert last night.
If you go play trivia tonight at 
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