West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
Photos by Leda Costa for West Seattle Blog
So much happened in West Seattle this weekend … but we would argue, this is the most important. On the Duwamish River and in its watershed, hundreds of volunteers gathered to offer some help via the twice-yearly Duwamish Alive! habitat restoration and cleanup gatherings. All sizes of volunteers, including Paislee Kelm and Nash Randow-Kelm:
They were working at Herring’s House Park on the river – explained on the Duwamish Alive! website as “a 15.5 acre location created in 1999 primarily as habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon as they journey to Puget Sound.” It’s across from the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, one of nine areas where people gathered on Saturday, one of two visited by WSB photojournalist Leda Costa – more of her photos ahead: Read More
Runners, walkers, and bikers stopped along Alki for a while this morning to try to figure out what Martin Garthwaite and Alex Miller were doing in that human-powered watercraft going back and forth along the boardwalk seawall. They weren’t rowing, and they weren’t pedaling. They were using the fishBOOT, which “swims like a marine mammal,” as its inventor Garthwaite explained, and as could be seen once it was out of the water – one moving part, a flexible hull, and “a big flipper”:
The fishBOOT is a means to an end – call it a small fish in a big project. Garthwaite is using it to research the principles behind what he calls the fishBOAT. That would be an unmanned vessel – a waterborne drone – with many possible uses and benefits including using less fuel. He explained some of it to us as he and Miller came back to the beach:
Miller has his own track record with unmanned watercraft, as a member of a team we’ve reported on here before, AMNO & CO, award-winning ROV competitors. He said the difference between that work and this project involves many factors, from water flow to math. We hope to follow up on where this project goes!
With the Seahawks on the road, the biggest football event in the city happened at West Seattle Stadium this afternoon.
Hundreds came to watch as the Snoop Youth Football League and its founder, music and TV star Snoop Dogg, joined with Seattle Parks and local football organizations to present the first West Coast Clash. (Above is a play from the opening game, the Ravens vs. the Cowboys.)
As promised, Snoop was on the sidelines as the second game sent his Diamond Valley Steelers from Pomona, California, up against Seattle’s Rainier Ravens.
Snoop has been coaching youth football for more than a decade, as chronicled in an online documentary series earlier this year. He was being tracked by a Netflix crew during today’s event.
The celebrity coach wasn’t the only draw at today’s event – youth football-and-cheer leagues are popular in neighborhoods around the city, including ours.
Also spotted at WS Stadium today – Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who is also, as the Seattle Globalist noted earlier this year, a youth football coach.
By the way, final score of the big game, per this online broadcast, Ravens 24, Steelers 7.
Now that this weekend’s big events have wrapped up, we’re looking ahead to Hallo-week, and we’re continuing to update the WSB West Seattle Halloween (etc.) Guide. Additions this weekend include the confirmation that the popular animatronic show Skeleton Theatre will be back (October 31-November 1st) and the Duwamish Longhouse Halloween Party next Sunday night. Plus you’ll find info on myriad other events including the Junction Harvest Festival, also one week from today. If you’re having a Halloween/harvest/fall/Dia de Los Muertos event open to the public between now and November 1st and it’s not already listed, please send us info ASAP – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
2:50 PM: The Fauntleroy Fall Festival might be the only place you’ll hear a Prince cover with ukuleles:
Prince tribute with ukuleles at Fauntleroy Fall Festival… pic.twitter.com/uMOk2ivuCC
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 23, 2016
The Back Porch Apostles are playing in the Fauntleroy Church/Y parking lot right now, which is one of the centers of activity during the festival, continuing until 5 pm. Lots of kid activities in the lot, including an annual favorite – making salmon hats, in honor of nearby Fauntleroy Creek:
On the north side of the lot, Seattle Fire Engine 37 from Sunrise Heights was visiting, along with the local Seattle Police Mobile Precinct:
Another center is The Hall at Fauntleroy on the other side of the 9100 block of California SW. Inside – more music plus the cake-decorating contest, to be followed by the cakewalk. We were totally surprised to see the cake on the left:
(3:40 pm note – the truck cake on the right won the “advanced” division!) More festival updates to come – here’s the schedule of what’s happening, where, and when, and here’s the list of food/drink available for purchase (everything else here is free).
3:30 PM UPDATE: Some of the festival activities are hidden gems – you have to wander into the church lobby to find the West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ “instrument petting zoo”:
In the Vashon Room of The Hall at Fauntleroy, meantime, it’s cakewalk time!
And on the east side of The Hall, the West Seattle Big Band will be playing at 3:45 – lots of room to dance!
4:09 PM UPDATE: Evidence of that last statement:
The WSBB plays until 5 pm, when the festival wraps up. It’s always musically abundant – in addition to offering the instrument “zoo” mentioned above, the WSCO had a Brass Sextet (plus percussionist) performing in the church’s fellowship hall:
Thanks to Toni Reineke (third from the left) for sharing that photo. One more festival center we haven’t mentioned yet – outside Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, to the west, pony rides, music, a playground, and a petting zoo with goats among other fuzzy friends:
The festival is a collaboration between community groups, institutions, organizations, and businesses, running on volunteer power and donations. If you would like to donate and missed the chance at the festival, just go here.
P.S. Some of the festival faces – first, Fauntleroy Creek watershed steward Judy Pickens, who’s a legend with the salmon hat-making:
Festival partner Fauntleroy Community Association:
The D Squared/Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes/Hall at Fauntleroy team:
And Lonjina Verdugo from Wildwood Market, soon to open in Fauntleroy:
Next event in Fauntleroy – gather to drum and sing the coho home to the creek, 5 pm next Sunday (October 30th) at the fish-ladder overlook across from the ferry terminal.
The most-important agenda at the quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting this past Wednesday was the briefing on the then-impending release of the draft rezoning maps for Morgan Junction and West Seattle’s three other “urban villages.” We covered that part of the meeting in this report on Thursday, when the four maps went public for Morgan, Admiral, Westwood-Highland Park, and The Junction. So today, we’re publishing the rest of the toplines from the MoCA meeting, which touched on many other topics, with updates that might interest you even if you don’t live/work in Morgan:
LOWMAN BEACH SEAWALL, WITH A SURVEY FOR YOU
10:57 AM: We have just received reader reports about two stolen cars you are asked to help look for:
SILVER HONDA CIVIC: Russell says his brother’s 3-door silver Civic, license #AZH2263, was stolen from 13th/Webster this morning. He adds, “Also, he is a construction worker. There was a copious amount of hand tools and power tools. Possible that people will be pawning his tools soon.”
BLACK AUDI Q7: Received by text: “Our Black 2015 Audi Q7 was stolen last night (Saturday) sometime between 11pm and 7 AM (Sunday) from the North Admiral neighborhood (45th Ave SW). The license plate # is VM8672.” One distinctive thing: “Right rear lower door panel was missing showing white plastic panel attachments.”
Call 911 if you see either car.
UPDATE: The Audi’s owners texted to say that thanks to this post, it’s been found.
(WSB photo – Jimmy and Johnny Rolfe with Java)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Nook is taking over what was the Mind Unwind/Treehouse Lounge space in the north end of The Admiral District.
It’ll be a “cozy, quaint” neighborhood bar/lounge/small-plates space run by brothers Jimmy and Johnny Rolfe, with whom we talked this weekend as they worked on the space, which they just bought on Friday from Krystal Kelley, Jason Nivens, and Zac Hutchins. (Kelley’s art collaboration with students will continue – more on that below.)
Many West Seattleites will know Jimmy from his roles at Matador, from West Seattle bartending to his current corporate beverage/bar-operation responsibilities. Johnny has a culinary background. Since the space at 2206 California SW [map] is limited – “not much of a kitchen” – their food offerings will be small plates.
But The Nook will have a full bar, along with beer and wine – with a “local focus,” the brothers say, in an “eclectic array” of offerings. When you add in the second-floor loft space, there’s seating capacity for about 70 people. It will be open to all ages, with a couple of screens that also will likely display an “eclectic” mix – “might be golf one day, snowboarding another,” say the Rolfes. And there’s some outdoor seating, too.
Hours? They’re still deciding, but ultimately they plan to “let the neighborhood tell us” what hours make sense. And they hope to be open within a few weeks.
Now, the future of Mind Unwind, which opened in the then-newly built space almost five years ago as an art/events space, with the addition of Treehouse Lounge less than a year later: Kelley says it will continue as a nonprofit foundation working with students on art and other creative projects – she’s been primarily working at elementary-school campuses anyway.
Meantime, The Nook is working on its online presence (remember, the deal just closed!) and we’ll add a link when they’re up.
(Morning beach scene, photographed by Don Brubeck)
Good morning! First, this weekend’s road-work reminder:
LOWER SPOKANE STREET DETOURS: Through tonight, you need to be aware of the detours if you’re headed for Harbor Island or using other parts of the surface route east of the low bridge – details are in this SDOT alert.
Now, the happenings – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction. The WSFM is open year-round. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
SKI SWAP: 11 am-4 pm, it’s the annual West Seattle Ski Swap, presented by Mountain to Sound Outfitters at Post 160 next door. (3618 SW Alaska)
SNOOP YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE FEATURING COACH SNOOP DOGG: It’s the West Coast Clash – Seattle Ravens vs. Pomona Steelers – at noon at West Seattle Stadium, presented by the Snoop Youth Football League – whose founder Coach Snoop Dogg will be on hand – and Seattle Parks. Lots of background in this Seattle Medium preview. Tickets $5 youth/$10 adults. (4432 35th SW)
JUNCTION EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION HUB OPENS: Noon-3 pm, a special chance to go get familiar with West Seattle’s newest volunteer-powered Emergency Communication Hub – the 13th Hub is in The Junction, in the parking lot at Hope Lutheran Church. (42nd SW/SW Oregon)
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: 2-5 pm in and around Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, The Hall at Fauntleroy, Fauntleroy Church/YMCA, it’s three big hours of fun – see the activity list/schedule here! Everything’s free except the food if you choose to indulge – here’s the list of what’s being sold and at what price. Go have a great time! (9131-9140 California SW)
LIZ NAVARRO @ C & P: Texas singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
MAGGIE LAIRD @ SKYLARK: All-ages show, 6-9 pm, $5 cover, at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
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