West Seattle, Washington
26 Friday
Though the Seahawks didn’t win today, a team-inspired creation took top honors at tonight’s annual gingerbread-house-building competition at West Seattle Christian Church‘s Activity Center in The Junction. It’s a fast-paced event with dozens of builders deploying stacks of building components:
Some of the results had Christmas themes – like this message for Santa:
Others were timeless. Here’s a treehouse:
A beach scene …
And a Biblical scene – Noah’s Ark, in gingerbread:
Disclosure note – WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand helped judge again this year.
(MONDAY UPDATE: Jenny at The Bridge now says the new location opens THURSDAY at 5 pm)
The dilapidated exterior of 6301 California SW is now a memory, but the old Chuck and Sally’s Tavern sign lives on in the back of the building’s new incarnation as The Bridge. With it are two of the co-proprietors, Trevor Garand and Rita Dixson, in their Seahawks gear because they opened the new place to invitees for this afternoon’s game.
You should be able to watch the NEXT Seahawks game there, because they’re expecting to officially open on Friday (December 13th) Thursday 12/12.
The site is returning to life as a business for the first time since August 2007, when it abruptly closed, initially, as reported here in September of that year, with just a sign mentioning cooler problems. A “For Lease” sign went up in early 2011, but it continued to idle as a vandalized eyesore. Then this past May, as first reported here, Rita, Trevor, and partners Jenny Almukhtar and Ahmed Almukhtar signed a lease and confirmed The Bridge would renovate and move into the building. Its original building near 35th and Avalon, closed last week, is scheduled for demolition when a six-story, 160-unit, 162-parking-space mixed-use building goes up.
(Friday night photo by Amy Allen)
That photo is from Friday night’s Pearl Jam concert at KeyArena downtown, and it has a bit of a backstory! First, while checking Twitter that night, we noticed some pointing out that lead singer Eddie Vedder was showing off some West Seattle (his longtime neighborhood) pride – Stephanie called it directly to our attention:
Love that Eddie is wearing his "West * Seattle" tshirt' Sweeeet show so far! #pearljam #PJSeattle #LightningBoltTour .@westseattleblog
— Stephanie Suter (@stephsuter) December 7, 2013
We looked around for a photo but couldn’t find one until Alia told us via Facebook about one she had seen via Instagram. We contacted the photographer, a Pearl Jam superfan from Des Moines, Iowa, named Amy Allen, for permission to publish her photo here, and she said yes. By day, in fact, Amy is a professional photographer, though she was at the show as a fan equipped only with an iPhone – the 71st time she has seen Pearl Jam in concert, she told us. She’s on Instagram at @amyallenphoto.
P.S. Thought we recalled seeing the same shirt at CAPERS in The Junction; their FB page confirms it.
Once again this year, the Rotary Club of West Seattle and a big supporting cast of volunteers got to play Santa for almost a hundred kids from local schools, during the annual Children’s Holiday Shopping Spree – the club’s biggest day, and signature community-service project, each year. It all started before dawn Saturday, with volunteers already in place as kids began arriving at the building that’s home to SODO Sears, SODO Kitchen, and Starbucks HQ. It’s always a big operation:
The kids patiently waited as a full morning of activities ramped up:
If there’s a baby in your house or otherwise on your gift list – Sasquatch Samwich‘s onesies are part of the lineup today at “Gifted,” the annual arts/crafts sale/bazaar under way now at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) – even a Seahawks design (12th baby, baby!) and the Tardis from “Doctor Who.” And/or stop by Dickie‘s table for creative coasters:
The Feedback’s musical mission resonates with Dean Moller and his Soul Cat Guitars:
Wouldn’t be a Christmastime bazaar without artisan decorations – the tree is by Kyle Schumacher of Blue Fish Studios:
Wander on into The Feedback (6451 California SW in Morgan Junction) before 6 pm.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency just announced a Stage 1 burn ban starting at noon today. Here’s what that means:
*No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
*No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
*Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
*It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.
Frosty the Heron? Thanks to David Hutchinson for sharing the photo from Constellation Park during Friday’s frosty sunset. Forecasters say it’s warming up after today – but first, another busy weekend day of highlights!
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: The weekend-long Seattle Jam wheelchair-basketball tournament is scheduled for games until 1:30 pm today at West Seattle High School. (3000 California SW)
HOLIDAY ART SALE: More than a dozen artists, 10 am-4 pm. (3245 60th SW)
‘GIFTED’: 11 am-6 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), it’s “Gifted,” the 5th annual holiday arts/crafts show. (6451 California SW)
ECLECTIC HOLIDAY STUDIO SALE: 10-5. Ceramics, jewelry, prints, encaustics, wine toppers, small art quilts and more. All handmade. (5417 42nd SW)
ENCORE DAY FOR PEACE LUTHERAN BAZAAR: First-ever holiday bazaar at Peace Lutheran Church has been extended – stop by noon-3 pm today for holiday shopping! (39th/Thistle)
“EX-WESTWOOD SANTA”: CAPERS is hosting the Santa known for many years at Westwood Village for DIY Santa photos (you take the picture) again today from 1 to 5. Suggested donation per sitting $10. All donations will benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. (4525 California SW) P.S. See his upcoming visits and the lineup of all West Seattle Santa visits in our Holiday Guide.
LITTLE WOMEN: Matinee today for the musical version that’s the holiday-season production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. 3 pm. Buy tickets online here. (4711 California SW)
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: The first matinee of the “Live Radio Play” version of the Christmas classic is presented by Twelfth Night Productions at 3:00 pm at Kenyon Hall. Tickets available online at brownpapertickets.com/event/509548 or an hour before showtime at the venue box office. (7904 35th SW)
LADIES MUSICAL CLUB: Free concert at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 3 pm. (2306 42nd SW)
ST. NICHOLAS FAIRE: The annual evening bazaar-and-more event at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, 4 pm-7 pm, raising money for West Seattle Food Bank and West Seattle Helpline. Admission: $5 per person w/canned food item or $15 per family w/food donation for each family member; without a donation, $10 per person or $25/family. Appetizers and spiced cider; elegant bake sale items; silent auction with variety of gift baskets – puzzles, games, wine, art and educational activities, gift certificates to events and restaurants, food-themed baskets, etc – ring toss game to win wine prizes, and wine tasting. (4105 California SW)
GINGERBREAD HOUSE-BUILDING: Come watch the competition, which will be judged. The building begins at @ 5 pm in the WSCC Activity Center. (4400 42nd Ave SW)
SSCC COMMUNITY CHOIR CONCERT: South Seattle Community College presents a free choir concert at 7 pm. Go to Olympic Hall, Room 120, the tall building at the south end of campus. Works by Willan, Mager, Thomas and Shaw; audience singalong too! (6000 16th SW)
(Photo by Robin Lindsey)
Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey says this seal-pup season has already had more sightings, and more deaths, than prior seasons, and it’s not over yet. This morning, sad news about one pup many watched the week before Thanksgiving:
“Moonshadow” came ashore at Duwamish Head (commonly known as Anchor Park) every night that week except one. Pretty much like clockwork, we could expect him about 6ish in the evening, returning to the Sound around daylight the next morning. Volunteers taped off access to the small beach west of the pier each evening.
As the week wore on, we began to suspect that he had some health issues as his weight began to drop and he had nasal discharge.
(Photos courtesy Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
Sweet-treat hospitality was a hit Saturday evening at the Log House Museum – Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals estimates around 50 people came by during while the LHM was offering “Cookies & Cider on the Porch.” Above, you see Marcy Johnsen, SWSHS board president and former LHM resident, telling visitors about its history. Below, a little clowning around with (from left) volunteers Amanda Gilbert and Debbie Neifert and visitor Karen Choyce, Newcastle resident and former West Seattleite:
The museum’s regular hours are noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays, so even if you didn’t make it to Saturday’s event – timed to coincide with the Christmas Ship‘s Alki visit – you can enjoy its exhibits and decorations (at 61st/Stevens) as soon as this afternoon! You might find a unique gift or two there, too – perhaps a “scenic” shopping bag.
In the midst of all the hectic holiday activities on Saturday – orcas swam by West Seattle shores. Thanks to Trileigh Tucker for sharing photos!
Trileigh watched the orcas from Lowman Beach.
If you’re planning on Christmas-tree shopping today (Sunday), the Holy Rosary Tree Lot (WSB sponsor) invites you to make a morning out of it – with a pancake breakfast! It’s the second special event of the weekend for the tree lot, where HR’s pastor Father John Madigan celebrated the annual “blessing of the trees” on Friday night, which is when we took the photo you see above. Today’s breakfast, with pancakes, ham, and bacon, will be served whenever you stop by the school hall (42nd SW north of SW Genesee) between 9 am and noon, and Santa Claus will be there for photos (bring your own camera). Breakfast is $15/family, or $5/adult, $4/senior, $3/child. The tree lot will be open on the north side of the school for your post-breakfast (and beyond) shopping convenience; wreaths too.
| Comments Off on West Seattle holidays: Building with gingerbread at WS Christian