West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
“The circle of life” took on multiple meanings at this afternoon’s Fauntleroy Creek “drumming to call the salmon home” event. First – the circle of those who came to celebrate the annual return, about three dozen participants by our count. Second, the phrase was part of a “call-and-response” inviting participants to share a significant event in their lives since last year’s gathering. And third – organizer and creek/watershed steward Judy Pickens noted that while seven spawners had been counted so far, none had made it up the creek – otter(s) had eaten them. Nonetheless, the celebration was on – with drums of many sizes and types:
That provided a mentoring opportunity, too, as Irene Stewart demonstrated:
Singing accompanied the drumming – that’s organizer Judy at center, music leader Jamie Shilling at right:
(video added) The gathering had begun with Judy recalling the first returning salmon (nicknamed “Harry and Louise”) almost two decades ago, followed by Jamie leading a song:
Mary led young welcomers through a recounting of the story of baby salmon’s comings, goings, and growing:
As noted here last week, volunteer watchers will be keeping an eye out for the salmon in the weeks ahead.
(Photo courtesy Krystal Kelley)
A new wine/beer lounge opens Halloween night in The Admiral District – and it’s intended to be a treat, says entrepreneur Krystal Kelley, whose Mind Unwind gallery/gathering space at 2206 California SW will also now be home to the Treehouse Lounge. It’s in the gallery of the loft, previously a “greatly unused space,” and Krystal says she’s been working on it for about a month, with colleagues J. Conrad Nivens and Zac Hutchins. It’ll be open Wednesdays through Sundays, 5 pm to midnight, with Happy Hour 6-8 pm – and Happy Hour all night ($5 house wine/draft beer) on Grand Opening night Wednesday. Read the rest of the Treehouse Lounge story on the Mind Unwind website; Treehouse Lounge also is on Facebook, here.
After you’ve converted a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern – or pumpkin curry, or … – the question remains: What to do with all those seeds? You can simply roast them, or, try what the neighbors on 40th SW near The Junction did again this year, getting together for a Pumpkin Seed Cookoff. Kerry White shared photos and info – above, the winners: Kerry reports, “Bob took the Judges’ Award, Aubrey got the Most Entertaining Seed, Paul was first, Will second, and Brady third.” As for what they created, Kerry says, “The winner was ‘A Sweet Surprise’ that was super crunchy. Second place was Buffalo; third place was a jerk seed. Most entertaining was a candied seed loaf, and the judges’ award was pumpkin-seed-ale caramels.”
Congratulations to the creative cooks of 40th SW!
In case you missed the news last week: Starting tomorrow, Metro adds two am-commute buses and two pm-commute buses to each of two West Seattle routes, 120 and 55, as explained in this news release. The news release doesn’t mention the schedule details, but, from e-mail sent to riders, here they are again:
The two new morning trips on Route 55 are scheduled to leave from the Admiral District at 6:37 and 8:20 AM, and arrive on Seneca Street at Second Avenue at 7:08 and 8:51 respectively. The added Route 55 afternoon trips are scheduled to leave from Blanchard St in Belltown at 4:54 and 5:17 PM.
The two new morning trips on Route 120 are scheduled to leave from the Burien Transit Center at 6:26 and 7:14 AM, from Westwood Village at 6:50 and 7:39, and arrive on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle at about 7:25 and 8:15 respectively. The added Route 120 afternoon trips are scheduled to leave from southbound on Third Avenue at Pike Street at 4:45 and 5:11 PM.
We are continuing to launch a daily “traffic/transit today” story that is open for comments and editorial updates throughout the day as needed – what you’re seeing, and what we’re hearing about – look for it each weekday by 7, and linked throughout the day/night in the BIG STORIES list on the WSB sidebar.
P.S. For those who have been asking about Arbor Heights changes – Metro’s Victor Obeso said at the Sustainable West Seattle Transportation Forum (WSB coverage here) two weeks ago that they’d be working on tweaks – AH resident Vic noticed this up at Junction Bay 6 this weekend and shared the photo:
We have not received a reply from Metro yet about other Arbor Heights changes
(Added Monday: Video by Ed Brooks, shot from Magnolia as the whales headed back north; link discovered via Orca Network Facebook page)
11:41 AM: We are hearing from multiple sources that orcas are headed this way again! First word that we received came from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales when we saw him here at the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival – and other tips have come in too. Let us know if you see them!
12:57 PM UPDATE: Donna from The Whale Trail says they’re currently “milling around” mid-channel between Me-Kwa-Mooks and Blake Island.
2:23 PM UPDATE: Just got a text – “On Bainbridge ferry heading into Elliott Bay. Orcas EVERYWHERE.”
10:41 AM: The sun is out for the start of the first-ever West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival – with lots of people already out and about to enjoy the special middle-of-the-street Farmers’ Market, plus homemade carnival-style activities like pumpkin bowling (above), at our booth with WestSide Baby and West Seattle Bowl (dubbed WSB X 3) on the east side of California/Alaska. You’ll find art by Curious Kidstuff:
And the Community School of West Seattle is here with chickens and a turkey!
20-plus organizations and businesses are offering activities – and right in the heart of Walk-All-Ways, get your questions answered by Farmers’ Market folks – we loved the corncob hat:
Lots of costumed kids and adults out already – and we’re still just under an hour away from the costume parade leaving Junction Plaza Park at 11:30 am, followed by trick-or-treating noon-2 pm – and 2 is when the festival ends, so get down here fast.
More coverage to come!
11:24 AM UPDATE: The costume parade is about to start – the WSHS Marching Band has been warming up, and we discovered that someone who has a lot of experience with parades – Jim Edwards, co-coordinator of the West Seattle Grand Parade – is helping this one get off on the right foot. (The parade looped all the way around the festival site – here’s Jim on his motorcycle:)
And part of the band:
And the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court:
(added) Video of the parade as it began from Junction Plaza Park:
12:25 PM UPDATE: Hour and a half to go – didn’t think it was possible, but there are even more people here now. Costume-watching continues:
And the Batmans helping each other across the street:
Costumed grownups as well as kids. We’ll have parade video later as well as a second roundup of photos beyond the ones we manage to get into this as-it-happened narrative. Come down and hang out with your neighbors! Also check out the RE/MAX Haunted House over on 44th – which has been drawing lines:
1:30 PM UPDATE: Half an hour to go. So many people have come by the booth – pumpkin-bowling, asking questions about WestSide Baby, saying hi, picking up West Seattle Bowl coupons – thank you! (And if you’re still here or stopping by before 2, we have some of our free WSB ice-scrapers left to give away.) The crowd has been terrific. But the weather’s turned cloudy and cooler, so our respite from the rain might only last as long as the festival …
2:04 PM UPDATE: Starting to fold up – the streets have to be cleared so they can reopen within a couple hours. We will have at least one more report later with lots more photos, and parade video. Thanks to everybody who came to the festival – and all the volunteers/businesses/organizations who made the fun activities happen and provided treats, free.
ADDED: A community-contributed photo – Lisa Secord sent this photo of her 11-year-old son, Brendan Lancaster, dressed as “Great Granny” – she reports the reactions were priceless:
One more business-district trick-or-treat event – Westwood Village, 5-7 pm on Halloween.
It’s finally here – the first-ever West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival, 10 am-2 pm – click the map above for the printable PDF version! And we have a break in the rain, for the occasion. But before we get to on-the-scene coverage – a quick overview of the day:
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION HARVEST FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
(Market setup, photo taken about 8:40 am)
10 am-2 pm, West Seattle Farmers’ Market in the street (California SW)
10 am-2 pm, free fun activities presented by businesses and organizations
11:30 am, costume parade led by West Seattle High School Marching Band from Junction Plaza Park
12 pm-2 pm, business trick-or-treating
12 pm-2 pm, gently haunted house @ RE/MAX, 4727 44th SW
*Come see us, WestSide Baby, and West Seattle Bowl (“WSB x 3”) for pumpkin bowling and (while they last) ask for your free WSB ice scraper (winter preparedness!).
FREE YOGA: WSB sponsor SoundYoga sponsors free yoga every so often and today’s the day! 11 am (5639 California SW)
FALL WINE RELEASE: Stottle Winery (tasting room at 3400 Harbor SW, street level of ActivSpace) continues its fall wine-release event, noon-5:30 pm.
HALLOWEEN ‘TOXIC TERRORS’ BOAT TOUR: Might still be room – leaves Harbor Island Marina at 1 pm, gate C – details here.
WHITE CENTER BUSINESS TRICK-OR-TREATING: 2-6 pm at participating shops/restaurants in the business district.
HALLOWEEN DOG PHOTOS: Halloween photos of the dog(s) in your life, at The Wash Dog (WSB sponsor). FREE – you take the photo with your own camera; Wash Dog supplies the setting – hay bales, pumpkins, dog costumes to borrow (or bring your own).
LIVE MUSIC: Zarni performs at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW), 3-5 pm.
MARRIAGE-EQUALITY FUNDRAISER: 4-6 pm at OutWest Bar (California/Brandon) – details here.
DRUM TO CALL THE SALMON HOME: The yearly event at Fauntleroy Creek Overlook (SW Director and upper Fauntleroy, across and up the embankment from the ferry dock), 5 pm – bring whatever you want to call a drum (or just bring your voice for chants/songs – all ages welcome)! The coho are already showing up at the creek mouth.
(SDOT “live” camera looking north on California at Alaska)
Just a quick traffic/transit reminder: California and Alaska are closing in the heart of The Junction from early this morning till mid-afternoon, for the first-ever Harvest Festival. That also means Metro bus reroutes. The festival runs 10 am-2 pm, but setup starts early since it includes the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, to be set up in the middle of California SW instead of its usual location, as well as a variety of activities. More coverage to come!
Results from postseason play in two sports on Saturday:
VOLLEYBALL: Busy day for local teams in tournament play at Chief Sealth International High School. First, West Seattle High School lost at 11 am to Seattle Prep, 3-0 , then faced Sealth at 1 pm – that ended with the Seahawks winning, 3-0. WSHS subsequently won over Lakeside at 3 pm, 3-1, while Sealth went on to play Eastside Catholic at 5 pm, falling 3-0. (Added Sunday morning – per the Sealth Athletics Facebook page, the Seahawks “will be back in action next Thursday (5:30 pm) at Sammamish HS vs. Bellevue in the 1st round of the District II tournament.”)
FOOTBALL: WSHS lost to Bainbridge at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, 47-20.
(WSHS senior Brennan Newquist scoring one of the Wildcats’ first two TDs)
Toplines ahead:Read More
Congratulations to more local martial-arts participants! Kris Wilder, owner/head instructor of West Seattle Karate Academy, shares the report and photo:
Several members of the West Seattle Karate Academy traveled to Puyallup to compete in the Washington State Isshinryu Karate Tournament. From left to right, Issac (Bronze in individual kata and Gold in Synchronized kata), Sprocket (Silver in individual kata), Sadie (Silver in individual kata and gold in synchronized kata), Wyatt (Gold in synchronized and silver in individual kata), Brandon (Bronze in individual kata and a Gold in synchronized), center, Master George Shin, and left, Kris Wilder. A good time was had by all the competitors and parents alike.
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