West Seattle, Washington
01 Tuesday
(added more photos inline @ 9:30 pm)
(47th/Admiral-area barricades)
ORIGINAL 6:35 PM REPORT: So far, we’ve seen more barricades than people gathered in the streets beyond them – but we know, everyone’s just getting home to work. Just stopped at 44th/Hill, where neighbors are gathered in a triangle between streets, rather than closing off the road; they’re getting ready to barbecue.
It’s their first-ever Night Out party; thanks to Kim for the note. More to come – we’ve got two people roving, one north, one south.
6:48 PM: Just stopped in the Sunset/48th vicinity – they’ve got a long table, beautifully decorated, with homemade desserts planned later after their barbecue (and lights strung in the trees to enjoy when the sun goes down).
Thanks to Deborah for welcoming us there.
7:02 PM: 47th/Admiral, where Charla (at left) gave us the party tip:
They’re hoping for a candidate visit before the night’s out. We expect to see at least one ourselves – we’ve got word of where the mayor will wind up his rounds tonight.
7:20 PM: We’ve been to two stops south of Admiral, including the Hinds/45th party, where the Block Watch reins have just turned over after a quarter-century; we found Eric in charge of the hot dogs:
Then, Al‘s party near 42nd/Hinds:
Al had a luau last year (went with the theme for his 60th birthday party just before Night Out), and this year it’s a Mexican beach fiesta (we said hi just as he was preparing the fajitas), including this decorated tent-side:
7:31 PM: About to check out Howie‘s party near 32nd/Andover, over the Luna Park business district. First, just got this photo from Desiree in Gatewood:
7:44 PM: The party up here (on the other side of the Fauntleroy end of The Bridge) is the biggest one we’ve been to so far. Here’s the long shot before you finish walking up the Andover dead end:
Howie invited us, but turns out, it’s Dave’s house – and he counted 70 people! (Sorry this crowd shot’s a bit blurry.)
Meantime, the other half of the team is in Highland Park and spotted our first SPD sighting of the night – Officer Adonis Topacio, near 12th/Trenton.
And we’ve received a photo from Daniel at the big party near 31st/Othello:
Next, we’re heading to Junction-area stops, including one that reportedly has a live band!
8:10 PM: Live band indeed – and a live young musician, 9-year-old Connor, in the 4400 block of 40th SW.
We’ll add a bit of video later (here’s the video, added 10:43 pm)
Just passed Ercolini Park, where Engine 32 is visiting block-partiers.
And now we’re headed south of The Junction. Sunset’s getting close – fiery pink-red again tonight.
8:22 PM: Just checked in with Cheryl, Rosina and dozens of neighbors on 48th in the Erskine/Dawson vicinity. They were kind enough to gather for a group shot:
Ladder 11 just wrapped up its stop here as we walked up (one thing about Night Out – you can’t just pull up, hop out, shoot a photo and go – you’ve got to park near the barricade and walk to where the people are), and two parties in adjoining blocks have agreed to combine forces next year.
8:53 PM: We’re folding up the Night Out caravan. Lots more pix to add from these stops and others – tried to catch up with the mayor here in his North Admiral neighborhood and we seem to have missed him. Reminder, if you have pix from your party, we’d be happy to publish some of those too – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks! (Once we’re done filling in the pictorial blanks in this report, we’ll start on a second report from our travels on the south half of the peninsula.)
Jill sends this photo and explains, “Out walking the dog on the beach at low tide and saw this dead Manta Ray, or so I think. found south of the Arroyos during low tide. Anyone know, is this common for Puget Sound?” We know “skates” can be found in cold waters – “manta rays” tend to be tropical – any thoughts on Jill’s discovery? Here’s another photo, for scale:
One possibility we’ve come across so far: A “big skate.”
Thanks to Tony for sharing the news of a big event happening at High Point’s Commons Park right now – hundreds of people gathered for a resource fair and family fun (note the bouncy house!), to be followed at 6 pm by a community barbecue and Night Out celebration – beautiful afternoon to be out in the not-too-hot-now sunshine. (And remember the High Point Market Garden opens shortly, 4:30-7 pm at 32nd/Juneau.)
More than 250 Night Out block parties are registered for tonight in the Southwest Precinct‘s coverage area (West Seattle and South Park), according to info we just received from SWP crime-prevention coordinator Benjamin Kinlow – that’s up from 200+ on the advance list last year. Thanks to the dozens of party-throwers who’ve given us clearance to drop by – we’re mapping strategy right now to get to as many as possible, but we also welcome YOUR photos, in progress or afterward – editor@westseattleblog.com. Watch here for “live” coverage (on Twitter, too) in a few hours – and have fun – more than a few people we’ve heard from are planning live bands and/or games, above and beyond the heart of the matter: Strengthening your neighborhood by getting to know your neighbors.
Thanks to David DeSiga for sharing, via Facebook (with permission to republish here), his photos of the Blue Angels‘ departure from Boeing Field a little more than an hour ago. His angle is about the same as the one from which we watched, just south of the airport’s tower. They took off heading south, no flybys back around the city, so some have asked “Are they gone?” Yes, and here’s the proof. Click ahead for a few more pix (also, KING has just posted the video shot from its chopper, which hovered just a bit to the west):Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tomorrow afternoon, the city Landmarks Preservation Board will consider whether to designate the building now known as The Sanctuary at Admiral – officially known in its nomination as the former Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist — as a city-designated Seattle landmark.
After a presentation last month (WSB coverage here; see the presentation document here), the board agreed to consider the nomination, but there’s a high hurdle to leap (see the criteria here) to get from that point to official designation.
Board members were scheduled to make a site visit last week as part of the process, according to Sanctuary owner Dahli Bennett, who invited us to visit recently for a closer look at the building that served as a Christian Science church for almost three-quarters of a century, before its congregation merged with the one on SW Barton by Fauntleroy Park and then sold the building (Bennett bought it in 2003).
Within the past hour, the City Council’s Transportation Committee (with only its chair, Councilmember Jan Drago, in attendance) gave its blessing to transferring the “Soundway” property in the West Duwamish Greenbelt to the city Parks Department. (It’s also been approved by the city Design Commission, as we reported in June.) The site includes 32 acres, mostly south of South Seattle Community College, platted long ago into streets that were never built, envisioned as part of a road grid that was superseded by other projects including the West Seattle Bridge. If the proposal passes one more vote – the full council next Monday – it will lose its longtime status as public right-of-way, and the Parks Department will lease it to the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium, which helped procure a state grant that will go to the city as compensation for the land. NC director Nancy Whitlock was on hand for this morning’s committee briefing, explaining the “Soundway” property’s role in preserving the West Duwamish Greenbelt as the city’s biggest remaining stretch of forest. Whitlock explained the restoration work her group does in this area and other parts of the WDG: “What we’re hoping to do is set in motion the re-creation of an old growth forest.” (The Nature Consortium has frequent work parties and guided hikes in the WDG; keep an eye on its website, naturec.org, for info.)
After most (but not all! Arts in Nature, for one, is still to come) of the festivals are over, August is a time for subtler summer fun. Two “garden parties” are coming up to raise money for major local organizations:
SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE: Carol Johnston from the Senior Center shares word of “A Sunset Patio Party” that lifelong West Seattleite Florabelle Key is hosting at her Morgan Junction apartment at 7 pm next Monday (August 10th). Carol says, “The beautiful gardens with its flower garden and candles and many patio tables and chairs will be filled while guests enjoy appetizers and assorted desserts while being serenaded by The Ukes, a ukulele group. Donation is $8 and guests may bring their own spirits. Paid reservations can be made at the Senior Center and info (is available) by calling 206-932-4044, ext. 3.”
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Days before the primary-election votes are counted, West Seattle’s biggest political group will gather for its biggest fundraiser of the year, the Garden Party, 6 pm August 14 at West Seattle Nursery. Emcee this year is Gatewood’s own New York Vinnie. Lots more info here.
(iPhone photo taken during final Blue Angels flyby Sunday, north of Boeing Field control tower)
BLUE ANGELS’ DEPARTURE: Finally found some ballpark time info, for anyone else interested in seeing them leave: Len Anderson IV — aka @lead_solo on Twitter, a former Blue Angels pilot traveling with the group and providing behind-the-scenes info, came through again: He says Blues 1-7 are scheduled to leave Boeing Field around noon today; check his Twitter page for the latest. Their next stop: The California International Airshow in Salinas (near Monterey/Carmel).
NIGHT OUT: Neighborhoods all around West Seattle will close their streets and get together for block parties during tonight’s annual Night Out celebration, in the name of building bonds and fighting crime. We’ll be reporting “live” as it happens, thanks to the dozens of WSB’ers who answered our second annual call for locations we can visit. If you’re not participating – since arterials aren’t eligible for block-party shutdowns, you shouldn’t find any major traffic effects, though your favorite side-street route might be off-limits for a few hours.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Lots of rave reviews since this once-a-week produce stand opened last month. 4:30-7 pm today, 32nd/Juneau (map), fresh and reasonably priced produce grown in the gorgeous “market garden” right by the stand.
Not everyone is taking August off. For example – consider the two troupes of ArtsWest Summer Musical Adventure Theater Campers who are getting ready to put on a show for you: Young performers 8-12 years old, staging “A Year with Frog and Toad, Kids” tomorrow through Sunday. There are two groups – “FROG Group” will perform at 7:30 Wednesday and Friday and 3 pm Saturday; “TOAD Group” puts on the show at 7:30 Thursday and Saturday and 3 pm Sunday. Read about the show on ArtsWest’s website; you can buy tickets online.
Here’s what’s up this Friday night at The Admiral:
If Gandhi met Madonna for tea and had afternoon schnapps with Led Zeppelin, THAT would be Manooghi Hi.
Seattle’s Bombay-rock band Manooghi Hi, featuring Mumbai native Mehnaz, puts forth music of “a different color.” On Friday, August 7th at 8:00 p.m. at West Seattle’s, ADMIRAL THEATER, come see the group that “brings their mix of ‘Bombay-Rock’ mixing classical, pop, and spiritualism with shades blending East and West influences which Seattle Times reviewer Jonathan Zwickel calls “a new genre of cross-pollination that’s “dizzying”.”
The group is fronted by Mehnaz who sings in several languages using her unique training and ability rhythmic style called Tabla Boli. Coupled with each band member’s range of experience, the music lends itself effortlessly to many varied tastes without boundaries. Read a recent Seattle Times article on this amazing group here.
Following the group’s performance at 9:00 p.m. the theater will screen the award-winning dramedy “Rock On.”
It’s the story of 4 boys who put together the greatest band their country had ever seen, but never quite made it. Ten years pass and fate conspires to bring them together again and set them on a journey back to where they left off… a soul-searching pilgrimage into their past. The series of live concerts took place in Pune, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
The film won 8 awards and scored four nominations for Best Male newcomer Farhan Akhtar and best supporting actor, Arjun Rampal. It was also nominated for best actress, best cinematography and best film.
It’s rated PG-13. Tickets are $10.00 for the concert only, 8.00 for the
film only and a discounted $15.00 for both. Tickets are pre-sold through
Brown Paper Tickets. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/73144 and at the door on August 7th.
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