FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE: The annual festival at Metropolitan Market(WSB sponsor) is under way through the 28th, bringing artisan cheesemakers to their stories including Mt. Townsend Creamery owner Matt Day at the Admiral MM this Sunday, noon-5 pm.
BREAKFAST AT BRICKYARD: Brickyard BBQ proprietor Dan Kriley says they’re now serving breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 9 am: “We are featuring a full breakfast menu and more than you can eat for $8.50. It’s Football season and we have all the games. College and NFL all weekend long.”
HEAVENLY COFFEE, CAKES, BREADS: In a recent e-mail update, Heavenly Pastry and Cake co-proprietor Michael Stein noted that Heavenly has “added Stumptown Coffee/Espresso to the mix, and a latte with one of our Cinnamon Roses is, indeed, a thing of Joy! Also a big ol’ bunch of beautiful cakes are now part of the Heavenly range, as well as some killer breads.”
SKYLARK HOURS CHANGE MONDAY: One more reminder that Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) starts its new 7-day-a-week schedule on Monday, opening at 3 pm on weekdays (no lunch, but food is available starting at 3). They’re still serving brunch 9 am-3 pm on weekends, too.
NEED TO CONSULT A MENU? In the WSB Forums, member “Mannamc” came up with a great idea – scanning local to-go menus and posting them in blog format online. Here’s what’s up so far.
8:14 PM: Two of tonight’s three games involving local teams are over: At West Seattle Stadium, in the ongoing downpour, WSHS has just forfeited to O’Dea, with the game ending at halftime, 48-0. (We will be adding more to the story regarding what the coaching staff explained were the reasons for this – which included injured players and field conditions in pounding rain.)
(Video of Sealth’s lone touchdown, by Trey Brown, added early Saturday)
At Memorial Stadium downtown earlier, Chief Sealth International High School lost to Cleveland HS, 14-6. Seattle Lutheran is playing tonight in Tenino – no report yet.
1:08 AM: The score from Tenino was Northwest Christian (Lacey) 28, Seattle Lutheran 8. (Stats here.)
Following up on Wednesday’s news that he would be returning to West Seattle after eight months (mostly) downtown, where the precinct’s commander of 2 1/2 years, Capt. Joe Kessler, is moving to be West Precinct commander, we asked for a chance to chat with them both. The result was a two-hour conversation with Capts. Paulsen and Kessler and operations Lt. Norm James, looking ahead to what the change will – and won’t – bring.
But first – since the commanders past and present apparently did not get the news that far in advance, it’s still fresh.
If you’d like a dose of sunshine and sparkling water on this foggy Friday, hit “play” on that clip to see the latest edition of Seattle Channel‘s “CityStream,” featuring stories from beaches around the city – prominently showcasing Alki, including its hardworking Seal Sitters. They, by the way, have been crazy-busy with pup-protecting action – daily bulletins are on their “blubberblog” site – including one pup whose visit so far seems to be setting some kind of record.
If you don’t recognize him right away, that’s Chef Hajime Sato, proprietor of Mashiko in The Junction, speaking at last year’s Eat Local Now! dinner celebrating sustainable locally grown/raised food. He’s part of this year’s event too – coming up Thursday, September 30th – along with others including Chef Dalis Chea from Fresh Bistro, whose parent company Herban Feastruns this year’s Eat Local Now! venue – SODO Park, just a bit east of West Seattle – plus West Seattle-residing Chef Traci Knight, pastry chef for Westwood-headquartered On Safari Foods. Guest speakers will talk about green jobs – a focus this year, along with learning about and supporting local food systems. And the night’s entertainment is by Ali Marcus. Co-presenters for Eat Local Now! include Sustainable West Seattle and CoolMom, and WSB is proud to again be among the co-sponsors; you can buy tickets online right now – adults are $35, kids $10 – just go here.
From a distance, the PARK(ing) Day (explained here) “park” set up on the street outside Easy Street Records fits right in, with foliage echoing nearby street trees … but if you look closely, it’s more than greenery:
As you might surmise from the display, this is the “Free Speech Garden” that newly transplanted arborist/advocate Michael Oxman told us about in a PARK(ing) Day preview three weeks ago (read about it here) – there’s a citywide design contest for the one-day “parks.” You should be able to see this one in person for another hour or so. Oxman noted in that August preview that the PARK(ing) Day concept explores what might be done “when we run out of oil” – that happens to be the topic at next Monday night’s Sustainable West Seattle Community Forum, 7 pm (September 20) at the Senior Center of West Seattle.
REHEARSALS: West Seattle Community Orchestras (formerly the Westside Symphonette) has just learned that it has been granted permission by Seattle Public Schools to rehearse at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle). Rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings — beginning Strings and Symphonette from 5:30 to 6:30, Symphony from 6:45-8:15.
MORE MUSICIANS NEEDED! We kicked off the season last Tuesday with a nice core of musicians in each orchestra, but we’d love to have more folks join us. There are spots in every group. In the Symphony, our top group, we especially need another BASSOON and another OBOE, a STRING BASS or two, and perhaps a FRENCH HORN. In all groups we can use all the VIOLINS, VIOLAS, CELLOS, and BASSES that would like to join. All instrumentalists are welcome–even beginners!
WSCO had been allowed to practice at Sealth last week, Toni explains, but they didn’t know until today that they’d be allowed to make it a permanent site. Meantime, she also notes that student musicians do not have to pay anything for participation; for adults, there’s a $65 fee for the fall session.
This afternoon, we welcome Westside School as a new WSB sponsor – as they get ready to show off their new West Seattle home with an open house this Sunday, 1-3 pm. New sponsors get the chance to share information they’d like you to know, so here’s their message: Westside School’s mission says it best … Westside School prepares students for the world by challenging them to achieve academic success and by connecting their human spirit and imagination to learning. Established in 1981, Westside School is West Seattle’s only elementary school accredited by the prestigious Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools. With classes in preschool through fifth grade, Westside School is a community of educators who care about the development of your child. Working in partnership with families, Westside helps each student fulfill his or her potential as an independent learner, developing self-discipline and responsibility while preserving natural curiosity, imagination, and joy. At Westside School, children experience small class size, an integrated and rigorous curriculum, and engaging, creative teachers. Enrichment classes like Chinese, Spanish, art, and music challenge students to embrace new cultures. Students in all areas of study find learning imaginative, joyful and fun. A Westside School education will not only give your child well-rounded instruction and an incredible sense of confidence, but you will also join an amazing community of parents and staff who care about you and your child. Please visit Westside School’s website at westsideschool.org for more information. The school is located at 7740 34th Avenue SW (map). They can be reached by phone at (206) 932-2511.
Again, Westside Schoolhas an open house this Sunday (September 19), 1-3 pm. We thank Westside for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
It’s currently atop the list of questions we’re frequently asked: When’s the new Wing Dome in The Junction opening? No date yet, but it’s far enough along – one year after first word it was in the works – that we managed to swing a peek inside – courtesy of manager Andy Pattalochi and Wing Dome marketing director Nicole Aly:
The video clip atop this story walks you around inside for a little over a minute. As you can see, it has the same “garage” theme as other Wing Domes, though Nicole and Andy – a West Seattleite who managed the Kirkland Wing Dome for three years – tell us this is the first one Consolidated Restaurants has built and opened since buying the Seattle-based mini-chain, so it’s their “ideal Wing Dome.” And the first one with a fire-pit-equipped patio out back, to which a sign by the rear door directs you:
The concrete for the patio was just poured the other day, in time to beat the rain. (You will be able to enter the restaurant from the alley.)
Besides the patio, a few more features: Both restrooms (which are in a hallway that’ll be shared with Tuscan Tea Room next door) will have changing tables; each of the big screen TVs (you see them in our walkabout video) has its own cable box for individual control of what’s shown (as long as it’s sports!); six beers will be on tap, including Manny’s from not-too-far Georgetown:
There’ll be counter seating as well as standalone tables and the half-booths against the north wall. And for next summer – the front windows will fully open:
You can keep an eye on their West Seattle-specific promotional website thefireisspreading.com – after the slogan that’s been on those windows since West Seattle Summer Fest. (The team’s a little bummed they won’t be open in time for this Sunday’s West Seattle Junction Car Show, since the automotive theme would synergize nicely.) And speaking of fire – yes, of course they’ll have the 7-Alarm Challenge (eat 7 of their “7-Alarm” wings in 7 minutes, and you make the Wall of Flame).
You’re on Facebook, and/or Linked In, and/or Twitter, and/or you have a website with an “about” page … but you just don’t have a great photo of your smiling face to show the world. Tomorrow (Saturday) is the day you can fix that while doing a good deed – “Head Shots at the Hot Shop” features pro photographer Timothy Aguero set up at Avalon Glassworks 1-5 pm tomorrow to photograph you with an art-glass backdrop. Suggested donation of $40 goes to the White Center Food Bank. No appointment required! 2914 SW Avalon Way.
(UPDATE: Photo added 10:43 am – the “park” is still being assembled) PARK(ING) DAY: 9 am-3 pm, West Seattle has one temporary “park,” near Easy Street in The Junction.
SQUARE ONE SWAN SONG: 11 am-1 pm, bookshelf giveaway and decoration sale (details here).
From Woodland Park Zoo, to Genesee Hill! The zoo donated a truckload of “Zoo Doo” compost to the Genesee Schmitz Neighborhood Council – at left in the top photo is Dan Corum, the zoo’s “Dr. Doo,” with GSNC’s master composter/gardening committee co-chair Peter Church, after the truck was filled. From there, on to its destination – the community garden at Genesee Hill School – where you can help too, with another neighborhood work party coming up tomorrow (Saturday, September 18, 9 am-1 pm).
Volunteers started spreading the compost after it arrived, but there’s still lots of work to go around to prepare the garden plots (garden spaces are available) – join GSNC at Genesee Hill if you can; lots more info on their website.
(Photo by Sofia Zadra Goff)
Two celebrations of note: First – Parent Trust for Washington Children has given its 2010 Leadership Award to the five authors of the million-plus-copies-selling manual “Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn” – including West Seattle’s April Bolding (second from right, with, from left, Penny Simkin, Ann Keppler, Janet Whalley, and Janelle Durham). Thursday also was proclaimed “Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn” Day by King County Executive Dow Constantine, in honor of the book that’s guided countless expectant parents over the past 20 years. It’s been revised multiple times, with the fourth edition now out; Bolding joined the co-author team in 2007. (Read more about her on her website, here.)
More awards: At left, a photo from Tuesday night’s awards ceremony at the Duwamish Longhouse for the West Seattle Garden Tour (co-sponsored this year by WSB) and its 2010 beneficiaries – who received a total of $23,190 from the nonprofit tour’s proceeds. The 2010 beneficiaries were Highland Park Elementary School, Seattle Tilth, Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center Rain Garden, South Seattle Community College Arboretum and ArtsWest (WSB sponsor). WSGT provided the photo, identifying those left to right as: Jim Reid (WSGT 2010 VP and current President) and Kam Boulle (WSGT 2010 President) with representatives from HP Elementary, Duwamish Longhouse, Seattle Tilth and ArtsWest. Meantime, the West Seattle Garden Tour membership committee is seeking new volunteers – they meet for monthly potlucks “to review the steady, building progress of the tour.” Interested in helping? westseattlegt@gmail.com – next meeting is October 13th.
While relatively routine work continues at Murray Pump Station in Lowman Beach Park, decision time is nearing for a complicated process to figure out how to reduce overflows from that station – the so-called “combined sewer overflows” that happen if runoff from heavy rain in the “basin” that feeds the station overwhelms the system. If you have been keeping an eye on the process (explained here), you know that the neighborhood did not exactly cheer the three options presented by the county back in March (WSB coverage here) – and at a subsequent meeting (WSB coverage here), suggested a citizens’ advisory group. The county took the suggestion; that group’s been meeting since June and is now close to finalizing its recommendations. At its latest meeting Wednesday night, the group narrowed down a list of 16 options (which in turn were from an even longer list that had emerged from their discussions plus expanded county recommendations) – deciding that they would continue looking at five. Read on for details:Read More
If you don’t recognize him right away, that’s Chef Hajime Sato, proprietor of Mashiko in The Junction, speaking at last year’s 
New sponsors get the chance to share information they’d like you to know, so here’s their message: Westside School’s mission says it best … Westside School prepares students for the world by challenging them to achieve academic success and by connecting their human spirit and imagination to learning. Established in 1981, Westside School is West Seattle’s only elementary school accredited by the prestigious 
More awards: At left, a photo from Tuesday night’s awards ceremony at the Duwamish Longhouse for the 
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