(Recent fall-colors aerial of Duwamish Head/North Admiral, by Long Bach Nguyen, shared via WSB Flickr group)

BIRTHDAY PARTY WORK PARTY: As previewed here last weekend, today is the annual Nature Consortium work party in honor of County Executive Dow Constantine‘s birthday. You can join them at College Street Ravine between 10 am and 2 pm.

SPECIAL STORY TIME: Barnes and Noble at Westwood Village reports “a special storytime between 1-3 pm today, with Rite Aid’s Health and Wellness Ambassadors doing the storytelling! There will also be a craft, making hand turkeys for Thanksgiving!”

ROAD TO COLLEGE – WITH FREE DINNER: Got a high-school student in the house? Free dinner and information about college access and related topics, 5 pm tonight at High Point Neighborhood Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW).

FALL HARVEST AUCTION FOR WSHS: The annual West Seattle High School fundraising auction is tonight at 5:30 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW).

FREE WINE TASTING: The weekly Thursday tasting at West Seattle Cellars (WSB sponsor; 6026 California SW), 5:30-8 pm, will feature Spanish wines this time.

SHOP LATE THURSDAY – INCLUDING COOKBOOK AUTHORS AT CLICK! The Junction’s Shop Late Thursdays are back for the 2012 holiday season, 6-9 pm, and one big event is happening tonight at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor; 4540 California SW) – cookbook authors Kim O’Donnel (“The Meat Lover’s Meatless Celebrations”), Jeanne Sauvage (“Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays”), and Cynthia Nims (“Salty Snacks”). Full details here.

TEST DRIVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT WESTSIDE SCHOOL: Big event tonight for prospective middle-schoolers and their families:

Westside School is hosting a really exciting, interactive event this evening starting at 6:00 pm. Prospective students for grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 will have an opportunity to “test drive” the Middle School at Westside. They are invited to come and learn about Westside’s Middle School program, through a variety of fun, hands-on activities. Talk with our fantastic Middle School teachers, and meet our administrators. Learn more about it HERE.

(Westside is a WSB sponsor; 7740 34th SW.)

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CENTER! Come check out the advisory council of the Southwest Teen Life Center and Pool – 7 pm tonight on the lower level of the center, 2801 SW Thistle. These are the community volunteers who help support activities there (among other things), as explained in the official notice.

WEST SEATTLE WOMEN IN CHARGE: The group for local business owners meets tonight at Lezlie Jane‘s Hilltop Studio at 7 pm. The theme is Marketing Ideas for the New Year. Address: 10643 19th Ave SW – phone: 206-383-7283

SOUTH PARK BRIDGE MEETING: As first reported on partner site The South Park News, the bridge work is running longer than planned and it won’t be done before early 2014. Tonight, you can find out more during a county-organized community meeting at the South Park Neighborhood Center, 8201 10th Avenue South, 7 pm.

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL’S ANNUAL MEETING: 7 pm, Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds). Here’s the agenda:

1) Nominations and election of ACC Board and Officers
2) Review of Tentative 2013 Budget
3) Results of November 13th FAA Greener Skies Meeting with Beacon Hill Community
4) Progress on ACC’s 501 (c) (3) Application
5) ACC Goals for 2013

Tonight’s nightlife highlights (music, comedy, pub quiz) and more – plus what’s ahead tomorrow and beyond – on the calendar!