West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
This morning, we mentioned a West Seattle couple’s plan to take their wedding-day photos in The Junction, by the Easy Street Records sign congratulating them. We of course couldn’t resist the photo op ourselves. Above, the Walk-All-Ways light changes and the wedding party dashes into the street. Next, a group pose:
Katie says it took a few cycles for a practice run, then several for the actual photos.
Now, here’s where we share the couple’s backstory, courtesy of Auburn Scallon, who was a bridesmaid (in a wedding party she described as 90 percent West Seattleites):
Sean Jolly, a West Seattle real estate agent, and Michelle Mierz, Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu 2000, originally met at Our Lady of Guadalupe school. Years later, they reconnected after running into each other in the West Seattle junction and within hours their friend Tiara Johnson asked them, “Why aren’t you two married?!” Three years later, the couple is taking that advice in a ceremony at Holy Names Academy.
Their official wedding photographer is Tara of Tara Leigh Photography, in the striped shirt:
Congratulations to Michelle and Sean!
As sunset approaches, Sunrise Heights is just getting warmed up. Tonight’s their big neighborhood block party. And we have photos courtesy of a member of one of the bands that are playing – Rick Price from BottleRockit. Here’s the first band, MoonGirl:
You probably recognize Rick’s name – when not onstage, he’s onscreen, a longtime local TV journalist, working for KIRO (Channel 7). Where’s Sunrise Heights, you ask? Roughly – east of 35th between High Point and Westwood.
ADDED: And thanks to Tom for sharing this photo:
The party is a volunteer-powered annual event, part potluck, part contribution-funded, with proceeds benefiting the Sunrise Heights Neighborhood Association.
Announced today by Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert:
PICK AT IT: THE 1st ANNUAL WEST SEATTLE GUITAR AND GEAR TRADE SHOW with special live performance by AARON DANIEL
Saturday, September 15, 6 PM
Pick At It is a unique spin on guitar trade shows as it features ONLY West Seattle guitar makers, sellers and tradesmen showcasing their wares. Included event sponsors are…
Owner Frank Gross, buys and sells vintage guitars and amps worldwide through his online store, and is one of the city’s top authorites on guitars.
Todd Baker is a highly trained and skilled luthier, not only repairing all aspects of guitars, but making custom acoustic basses as well.
Greg Williamson is widely known for his extremely popular and hand-crafted Greedtone guitar effects pedals (now carried nationally by Guitar Center) and hand-built amplifers. Greg is also the sound engineer for the annual West Seattle Summerfest.
Every Fastback guitar is exclusively designed and hand crafted for guitar players by guitar players. Fastback also has a line of popular custom made amplifers and is a recording studio as well.
Owned and operated by Shadowland’s Ben Jenkins and Greg Williamson (Greedtone), this Georgetown studio is fast becoming one of the more in-demand rooms in Seattle to record in.
A West Seattle resident and one of the more unique guitarists in Seattle, Aaron – who recently performed two sold-out shows at The Moore Theatre with the Seattle Rock Orchestra – will be doing a live showcase at the event.
Come buy and trade, try out amps and effects pedals, get a free tune-up on your guitar and hang out with tons of fellow musicians and guitar geeks and fans. There will also be a themed cocktail designed by the legendary Matt Johnson. (Wait ’til you see what it is!)
(Photo by Nick Adams for WSB, added post-festival: Giorvi Merca, 9, at 3-legged race finish line)
11:25 AM: It’s the biggest festival of the summer in eastern West Seattle – and Delridge Day 2012 has just begun, in and around Delridge Skatepark (Delridge/Genesee), which was dedicated at last year’s DD.
(As-it-happened photos, through 3:01 pm update, by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
All the info’s here – lots to watch, lots to do, lots to see. The festival is an all-volunteer production again this year – presented by the North Delridge Neighborhood Council:
At the NDNC booth, that’s Kirsten Smith and Parie Hines. (Parie also leads WSB sponsor LD Arch Design.)
11:40 AM UPDATE: It’s not a festival without RapidRide Man – who’s here along with the big red and yellow bus, previewing the service that will be launched in West Seattle next month, parked along 26th SW on the northwest side of the playfield:
That’s also where you’ll find a food truck, Athena’s from Highland Park. Meantime, here from across the street at Youngstown – it’s the West Seattle Tool Library’s new mobile unit:
That’s Stu Hennessey from Sustainable West Seattle and Alki Bike and Board – ABB is sponsoring the skate competitions that are under way till 2 pm (with free skate to follow) at the skatepark during today’s festival.
12:12 PM UPDATE: The sun has just emerged! When you come to the festival, say hi – we’re by the entrance along Genesee, west of the skatepark. We’re here not just to cover it but also as co-sponsors:
Face painting, bouncy house, balloon art, all part of the Kids’ Zone.
1:12 PM UPDATE: After looking over at the Evo booth near ours and noticing a regal little Shiba Inu, we went over for a photo:
That’s Ryu, sitting on the table in front of Hahn. Lots of dogs here – there’s plenty of space between booth rows, for them to walk comfortably with their people. Meantime, a Zumba performance, flash-mob style, erupted over by the stage a little while ago:
(Video to come.)
2:16 PM UPDATE: First politician sighting – just talked to City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who was marveling at how well the skatepark is working out, especially considering, as he recalled, it was originally slated to be built up by Myrtle Reservoir – until neighbors opposed it so strenuously, alternate sites were sought; Delridge welcomed it.
Just about everyone we’ve talked with has described today’s festival, meantime, as “mellow,” “low-key.” The police are here – but it’s community outreach, not an emergency response:
The festival’s on till 3.
3:01 PM NOTE: And so soon, it’s over! Thanks to everybody who came by to say hello. We have more photos to add, from WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, which we’ll add later – have to move on now to more of what’s happening today.
ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: As promised, more photos! From here on out, they’re all by Nick Adams for WSB:
That’s Rafael Newman break dancing with groups Break Animal and Catch Them All.
The sign’s up at Easy Street Records – and we’re told the newlyweds will be in the area for photos in a few hours – Auburn e-mailed to share the photo and the news of Sean Jolly and Michelle Mierz – who first met as schoolmates long ago, and much later reconnected and fell in love – getting married. More on that later today.
The other sighting is at the north end of Pigeon Point:
Mark sent that photo – and earlier, Jim sent us one from last night – and as far as we can tell, it just might be a sign that Doctor Who is wandering timelessly around Pigeon Point today. Not a Dr. Who fan? This might explain.
Another West Seattle wedding announcement!
Kristina Graubins & Kane Jamison are happy to announce that they were married on August 11th at Lincoln Park. The happy couple moved to Seattle from Champaign, IL in 2008 and have lived in Arbor Heights for just over a year. When they’re not walking their dog Ben or tending to their new flock of chickens, they can be found chiseling away at their endless list of urban homestead projects. Please send your happy vibes to the new couple!
Another one of those days with so much going on, that instead of replicating the WSB calendar list here, we’re pointing you there – more than 30 events from morning till night, including the Delridge Day festival 11 am-3 pm (here’s the full schedule/vendor list – we’ll be reporting live). Find the list here – click on the right side of any line to expand it for a preview, then the “read more” at lower right of that preview to go to the full listing page, including times, address, and map. Have a great day!
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Today, you’ll find volunteers from the 34th District Democrats in a booth at the Delridge Day festival – just hours after the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Garden Party. Last night, partygoers basked in evening sunshine at West Seattle Nursery, with the theme “All-American Barbecue,” and with this area’s highest-ranking politician serving as auctioneer/emcee:
With King County Executive Dow Constantine, that’s the 34th DDs’ chair Tim Nuse at left, and the ubiquitous reminders that this is a presidential election year. The event’s theme even inspired some costuming – Chris Porter was in the red-white-and-blue spirit:
More of WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ scenes from the Garden Party, ahead:
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:
*Around 7:30 a.m. on a recent Thursday, a 15-year-old was assaulted on the bike trail near the steel mill by two men who told him to empty his pockets. He was punched and knocked to the ground (and also struck back, bloodying one suspect’s nose). The suspects — considered to be possibly homeless because they were described as “both pretty dirty” — were described as black men: One in his twenties, about 6 feet tall, wearing a white short-sleeved T shirt; the other in his forties, about 5’8”, wearing a black beanie, black shirt, and brown baggy pants. They remain at large.
Ahead, five more summaries, including the case of the arrested landlord, and trouble at/near Lincoln Park:Read More
| 16 COMMENTS