West Seattle, Washington
26 Friday
Tonight was the first night for the 2014 edition of the Menashe Family’s big, bright Christmas lights (5605 Beach Drive SW). You can certainly admire the densely decorated display from down the block, or driving by, but you’ll want to walk right up to see and hear it all.
That includes listening to your fellow light-watchers, who might be heard asking such questions as “Where do they store all this during the year?” But mostly, what we heard were exclamations of wonder. See why, ahead:
Quick note looking ahead to next weekend, as this one concludes: The southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to be closed overnight next Saturday night, from 11:59 pm December 6th until about 5 am December 7th, according to the newest “construction lookahead.” The reason for the closure between the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge is described as “… crews remov(ing) a crane from the adjacent job site.”
(WSB photo by Tracy Record)
6:14 PM: Westbound Roxbury is closed between 15th and 16th SW (map) after a hit-run crash that sent a woman to the hospital. Police told us at the scene that she was in the crosswalk when hit by what witnesses describe as a blue SUV. The road closure will last a while, since the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad has been called in. We don’t yet know the victim’s condition or age; the initial callout was on the 911 log as a simple medic response, but readers (thank you) alerted us to a major police presence and crime tape across the road, so we went over to find out what had happened. If you have any information about this crash, please call 911.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
8:15 PM: That section of road was still closed when we went back over about 15 minutes ago; TCIS is on scene doing its work. At this point we might not be able to get any more information until tomorrow; we’ll add an update when the road reopens tonight.
9:22 PM: Police have just announced (as monitored via scanner) that the road is open again.
MONDAY 10:58 AM UPDATE: We’re following up today with SPD and SFD. We’ve heard back from the latter, with spokesperson Kyle Moore telling us the woman is 35 years old and was in stable condition when taken to the hospital, where she was to be checked for possible serious internal injuries. (That’s all the information we will get about her without knowing her name, so if anyone reading this knows how she is doing, please consider either commenting, or e-mailing us at editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you.)
One week left to build your gingerbread house for the competition at the first-ever Holly Jolly Holiday Fest, presented next Sunday afternoon (December 7th) at The Sanctuary at Admiral, by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. Two divisions, with a prize for each! Build your creation ahead of time and bring it in for judging – here are the rules:
As previewed here earlier this week, the noon-4 pm holiday extravaganza also will include Santa photo ops, holiday music, a craft bazaar, treats … admission free! The Sanctuary, itself a beautiful (city-landmarked) sight to see, is at on the northeast corner of California/Lander.
While we have soccer on our minds (go, Sounders!) – a local update: Congratulations to the West Seattle Soccer Club‘s Girls U14 Team Streak and coach Rob McAllister, who shared the news of their recent tournament win. The girls went undefeated in the annual pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot in Mukilteo.
P.S. Next round of WSSC registration starts February 1st for the spring season – keep an eye on westseattlesoccer.org.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We hope you’re finding a multitude of reasons to shop at your local independent small businesses this holiday season (as well as the rest of the year!). Continuing our spotlight on many of those reasons, we stopped by West Seattle Fabric Company (in The Admiral District at 2210 California SW) this weekend after proprietor Monica Skov sent word that she’s added giftable merchandise “because not everybody sews” (you’ll see that on the sidewalk sign outside). The items she’s posing with are among the added lines – we found the beach-walking exhortation especially appropriate because we stopped in just after revisiting those wild waves at Alki. WSFC is open until 4 today, and expects to add more non-sewing “gifts and goods” in the days ahead, including West Seattle-themed merchandise.
P.S. Watch our West Seattle Holiday Guide for an ongoing list of shopping notes and highlights (including some local businesses’ online deals, too) as well as for the list of open houses still to come (if yours isn’t listed yet, send us info, plain-text e-mail at editor@westseattleblog.com).
11:34 AM: Orcas are back in Puget Sound today, and might be visible off West Seattle soon. After tips to a sighting off Kingston at midmorning – thanks to our friends at Killer Whale Tales and The Whale Trail for early alerts – we’re seeing mentions via Orca Network FB commenters that they’ve been seen from Discovery Park, still “trending southbound.” Expert advice for today includes using binoculars to watch from bluffs, rather than on the surface. Please let us know if you see them – comment here, or text/voice 206-293-6302; we’ll be looking too.
1:08 PM UPDATE: By multiple reports, including Gary‘s comment here, they’ve turned back northward just as they got close to our area … for now.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has announced a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties starting at 1 pm today and continuing until further notice. That means no use of fireplaces or uncertified woodstoves, unless you have a “previously approved ‘No Other Adequate Source of Heat’ designation from PSCAA,” and no outdoor fires of any kind.
One sunny September day, a Subaru showed up on the sand at Alki Beach …
(9/10/2014 photo by Don Brubeck)
Commercial shoots aren’t that rare over here, but we don’t often get to see the finished product. This time, we do – watch for the Alki scenes in the middle and at the end:
Thanks to Creighton for pointing out that the Subaru spot is now on the air, and that the Alki scenes feature a Make-A-Wish kid named Ryan. While the commercial itself doesn’t reveal much about Ryan – not even his name – Subaru also made a “behind-the-scenes” video about him, explaining that Alki was relevant because his “wish” is a trip to Hawaii. Further research turns up even more of his story, as well as his website. He is a Black Diamond resident diagnosed a year and a half ago with aplastic anemia, for which he received a bone-marrow transplant last May. His mom writes here about their experience being part of the commercial shoot on Alki, which didn’t promote a specific car model but rather the company’s charity-donation program.
(Snowy Olympics at sunrise – photo by Don Brubeck)
With chilly sunshine and a little snow on the ground here and there in the shade, the final day of the four-day holiday weekend is getting into gear. From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and our ongoing daily calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, year-round. (44th/Alaska)
And while you’re in The Junction:
PATHFINDER’S HANDMADE WREATHS: Available again this year, for three Sundays starting today, 10 am-2 pm (photo added 1 pm):
“Pathfinder K-8 would like to thank the West Seattle Community for supporting our Outdoor Education Programs through the purchase of our Holiday Wreaths. … Our wreaths are handcrafted by our students, faculty, and parents with locally donated greens. 100% of what we make goes directly into the classroom.” (California/Alaska)
Elsewhere around West Seattle:
DUWAMISH NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR, DAY 3: 10 am-4:30 pm, last chance to find unique gifts made and sold by Native American artists and crafters at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. Here’s our report from Friday. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP: Free workshop at Highland Park Improvement Club, 3-5 pm. Bring your own greens and tools, as explained here. All welcome. (12th/Holden)
ALL-AGES OPEN MICROPHONE: Last Sunday of the month is this popular event at Skylark Café, free all-ages open microphone, signups at 3, performances start at 4. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS West Seattle’s biggest and brightest light display is scheduled to officially go on for the season around 6 tonight. And as explained in our preview from last week, bring that letter to Santa! (5605 Beach Drive SW)
MORE LIGHTS … Been to see West Seattle Lights or West Seattle Yuletide yet? Both continue tonight (and through December), and you’ll find the info in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.
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