West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Two months gone since the vote, eight days to go, until the deadline city leaders set for closing the West Seattle site to which the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” returned two years ago.
On Friday, we reported on the Westside Interfaith Network‘s plan to hold nightly vigils for a week, from tomorrow through next Saturday (August 31st) – not to demand that the encampment be allowed to stay open, but simply, WIN’s Mary Anne deVry says, to remind the greater community that homelessness remains an unsolved problem.
After publishing that story, we talked with Terry Pallas from Union Gospel Mission, which has an agreement with the city to find housing and services for Nickelsville “campers” with the money (up to $500,000) that City Councilmembers voted in June to spend.
How is it being spent?
7:12 PM: If you’ve already seen “This Is Spinal Tap,” tonight’s feature at this summer’s final West Seattle Outdoor Movies event, you will likely know the significance of the structure shown above with movie host Lora Swift, proprietor of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), next to the courtyard with the big screen. It’s one of tonight’s raffle prizes, too! (This evening’s beneficiary of raffles and concessions is the Southwest Seattle Historical Society – the movie itself is free.) Preshow band Those Guys is about to start playing; the movie will be on at dusk, likely around 8:30 pm, and the courtyard is filling fast, so if you’re coming, don’t procrastinate!
7:29 PM: Forgot to mention – you’ll often find sponsors with freebies, and indeed, Emilee from Dr. Gerald Wolff‘s dental office on the other side of the courtyard is here with goodie bags:
Rocking the courtyard – Those Guys:
West Seattle Outdoor Movies (for which WSB has been the media sponsor again this year) run for six consecutive Saturday nights in July and August every summer – watch WSB in the spring for news of next year’s series!
From now until October, you can stop by Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) to admire five watercolor paintings that local artist Tom Friberg is selling, with part of the proceeds benefiting local nonprofits. Maine Western, pictured above, is one of the five. So is Morning Fishing, pictured below:
Like what you see? The paintings range from $10 to $15 for smaller prints, and $200 for larger prints. Friberg is donating 50 percent of his sales to three charities that support women and children in the Seattle area: Jubilee Women’s Center, New Beginnings, and Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services. You can see more of his work here. Illusions is at 5619 California SW; its hours are listed here.
Three West Seattle restaurant notes today:
HARRY’S CHICKEN JOINT: North of Morgan Junction, Harry’s Chicken Joint (WSB sponsor) is planning its six-month celebration … half-iversary, you could say. Two weeks from today, according to proprietor Bruce:
Just wanted to give you a heads up, we are planning quite a party on Saturday, September 7th to celebrate the six-month anniversary of Harry’s Chicken Joint.
We will close that evening and take our chicken and treats a few blocks south to the Beveridge Place Pub from 6-9PM. It will be a fun time for Harry’s to thank all our loyal friends, neighbors, and guests.
We are also introducing some new menu items: shrimp po’ boy, oyster po’ boy, greens, and a salad.
Come on down and say hello. You’ll have to pay for your beer, wine or cider, but Harry’s will provide the food from 6-9.
In the meantime, check out Harry’s during its regular hours at 6032 California SW, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 4-9 pm. (Harry’s has a menu-enhanced website now as well as its Facebook page.)
ALKI SUBWAY OPENING: Tomorrow (Sunday, August 25th) will be opening day for the new Alki Subway (as first reported here in May, it’s in half the three-year-old, never-occupied space at 2758 Alki SW). **6:44 pm update, as noted in comments – the date was on a hand-lettered sign in the window when we walked by just after 11 this morning, but as of 15 minutes ago, THAT sign has been replaced by another hand-lettered one saying “Opening Soon.”
WSB RESTAURANT GUIDE UPDATES: We have added a few pages to the WSB West Seattle Restaurant Guide, including one for Westcity Sardine Kitchen, which might come in handy since WSK doesn’t have a website of its own, and a page for Chopstix. If there’s something you’d like to say about your favorite West Seattle restaurant(s), remember that each eatery’s page in our guide does have a spot for comments. P.S. to restaurant owners: We make the rounds every few months by phone/online checking for changes to hours and other key info, but you are welcome at any time to e-mail us with updates if you make changes or discover something outdated in our guide – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks! (The restaurant guide, in case you wondered, is NOT a paid-advertising section – it’s one of our free services to both readers and local venues. WSB does have restaurants on the sponsor team, and they get special mention atop the restaurant guide’s index page, as well as in the WSB Sponsors directory, and you’ll see their ads on the WSB sidebar.)
In the tradition of drive-in movie theaters (remember those?) doubling as swap-meet venues, the big-screen-centered courtyard outside Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) in The Junction is hosting a multi-seller rummage/craft sale until 3 pm. Too big for one camera lens – what you see is barely half the setup. Walking up a little while ago, we heard exclamations such as, “Did you see THIS?” (which can mean many things at a rummage sale!). Sellers tell us it’s been going well, but there’s still lots to browse. Then tonight – come back when the gates open at 6:30 pm for the last West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of the season, “This Is Spinal Tap,” with Those Guys playing live before the movie. Co-sponsors include Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) and West 5, and WSB continues as this year’s media sponsor; the movie’s free, starting at dusk (8:30ish, if not slightly earlier), but bring some cash if you can for concessions and raffle prizes, all benefiting local nonprofits. Haven’t been here before? Southeast corner of California/Genesee on the north edge of The Junction.
A special attraction on the seawall during this morning’s Great Cross-Sound Race to and from Alki – the OAR Northwest ocean-rowing boat. But the main attraction, as always, was Sound Rowers‘ 7-mile race, with dozens of rowers heading to Bainbridge Island and back (see the course map here). They start fairly far offshore, so, with some zoom and shake, here’s a bit of the early going:
And here’s our video of the first finishers – Conal Groom and Peter Hirtle, followed by a single (we’re awaiting the official results to verify that rower’s name):
Full results should be available later via the Sound Rowers website.
SIDE NOTE: The racing on Alki tomorrow will be on land, with the Alki Beach 5K Run/Walk for Northwest Hope and Healing starting near the bathhouse at 9 am. Even if you’re not participating or watching, remember that Alki Avenue will be closed for a few hours tomorrow morning before and during the race.
For our daily preview today, we’re pointing you to the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, which is where you’ll find the full lineup of events including:
–Great Cross-Sound Race by Sound Rowers (starts at Alki at 9 am)
–Garage/Craft Sale in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard (9 am-3 pm)
–Final West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation (“This Is Spinal Tap,” dusk)
LOTS more happening and we have to get out to start covering it! Again, the full calendar is here.
West Seattle’s own King County Queens held court Friday night at Easy Street Records – three guys named Scott (drummer/singer Scott Vanderpool, guitarist/singer Scott Sutherland, guitarist Scott Muhlbeier) and one honorary Scott (credited on the inside cover as Marsh “Scott” Gooch, bass/vocals). We caught some video while stopping in:
The KC Queens have an official music video, too – see “Krautrock!” here. It’s a cut from their LP “Ladies and Gentlemen, Your King County Queens,” released by Green Monkey Records just last month – you can of course get it at Easy Street. And if you missed the KC Queens this time, they’ll be at the all-day all-night marathon Earfest at Slim’s Last Chance in Georgetown on September 7th at 7 pm.
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