West Seattle, Washington
11 Friday
10:18 PM: Thanks to Manuel for spotting that Instagram post and texting the tip. We’ve been watching that spot at 35th and Morgan since reporting on Pizza Hut‘s closure nine months ago. No hints, at the site or in permit files, until this. Grillbird also has a website that says, “We are opening in early 2020 in West Seattle. We can not wait to serve you Classic Seattle style teriyaki, Katsu and more!” We have sent an inquiry in hopes of finding out more.
11:55 PM: We’ve heard back from Grillbird’s proprietor Matt Parker, a restaurant-industry veteran and 10-year West Seattleite. He describes the restaurant as a “teriyaki chicken shop.” This is his first solo enterprise but his background, he told us by email, includes being “the restaurant designer for Huxley Wallace Collective: Westward, Quality Athletics, Scout, Kiki Ramen, Great State Burger, etc.” He adds, “We love West Seattle and and I can’t wait to meet the folks in High Point.” We’ll be chatting with him further to find out more.
ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: A little more from proprietor Matt, who we photographed at the restaurant-to-be this afternoon:
The vision for Grillbird is to serve up the best of what we all love about teriyaki (chargrilled chicken to order, exceptional value), and then to meet the needs of the modern customer (mobile pay, online ordering, delivery app, gluten free & vegan options, designed experience). Grillbird focuses only on the “hits” – a small but efficient menu serving up the dishes people consistently love. Everything will be made in-house, with quality, fresh ingredients, grilled to order and served quickly. Customers will be able to order by delivery, online app, phone or walk-in.
Grillbird is not a chain, or a concept. We are not “elevating” teriyaki. It’s just your local teriyaki joint made a little more modern and serving up (what we hope is) the best chicken teriyaki in town.
A few seats for dining in. P.S. He’ll be painting the exterior this weekend
Your Halloween doesn’t have to end when this night is over. Two shows/displays continue tomorrow:
SKELETON THEATRE: Tonight was the first of two nights that draws people from miles around to 36th/Hanford, to see the labor of love that a theatrical professional-led crew has staged, with various themes, for 14 Halloweens:
This time, the Skeleton Theatre crew is reprising their skeletons-in-space saga “Ulna 13,” not a bad choice considering we just marked 50 years since the first moon landing.
Skeleton Theatre shows are more comic than creepy, and run about 20 minutes, continuously with brief intermissions, 6 to 9 pm. Seems the skeletons have a new project, too:
From there, we headed to Alki.
‘NIGHTFALL ORPHANAGE’: This too is the creation of someone with a professional background. as noted in the preview; for a third year, the creator and his accomplices have put on a “garage haunt” to spread Halloween spirit at the beach:
Our photos only hint at the experience; see more on the official website. Better yet, go experience it for yourself, until 10:30 tonight and again 7:30-10:30 tomorrow and Saturday. Bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank.
Every year while out on Halloween, we notice more and more decorated homes – not just carved pumpkins, but also lights, creatures, silhouettes, all sorts of spookiness. Susanne sent us these photos from Gatewood.
We also featured some Belvidere creativity, courtesy of Rose, with this morning’s highlight list. Thanks to everyone for sharing what you’re seeing!
ADDED: A display in Admiral, shared by Ryan:
Among the scariest West Seattle spots this Halloween night … it’s the 15th year for the Meeds Manor Haunted House! Different location this year – 45th and Stevens. We stopped by in the early going pre-dusk:
The Meeds family says the displays just keep growing every year.
Bring non-perishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank so you don’t run the risk of having to walk the plank:
It’s among the spooky sights highlighted in our Halloween Etc. Guide.
When we showed you striping work on SW Avalon Way on Wednesday, the newest information from SDOT was that it would be “final” striping. Now, the weekly project update says it’s not:
This week and next week, we will be placing temporary striping of the final road design on SW Avalon Way. At this time, temperatures are too cold to place final striping on the road, so we will return to apply final striping when the weather gets warmer.
Please note the dates on the “no parking” signs and expect short-term, single-lane closures during striping. After temporary striping is complete, parking will be restored, where feasible, until we return to place the final striping on the road.
As you adjust to the new channelization, please drive carefully and allow everyone a little extra space. We will also be installing new signs along the corridor next week to help guide people driving and biking along the corridor.
This new design accommodates transit needs, north and southbound bike lanes, and adjust parking on both sides of SW Avalon Way. For more information on the final design, see our final design plans and graphics on our website.
Work near 35th Ave SW and SW Avalon Way Intersection:
We are rebuilding the center lanes and will begin work on the northern 2 lanes on SW Avalon Way east and west of the 35th Ave SW intersection. This intersection will continue to change as work continues. Please drive slowly as our traffic control will shift frequently.
Please expect:
To yield to oncoming traffic when trying to turn north or south on 35th Ave SW from SW Avalon Way
Temporary removal of the southbound left turn lane on SW Avalon Way at the 35th Ave SW intersection. This turn lane will be restored as soon as next week.
No left turns for people traveling northbound on SW Avalon way at the 35th Ave SW intersection. People driving can turn right onto 35th Ave SW or continue straight on SW Avalon Way.
Traffic delays at the 35th Ave SW and SW Avalon Way intersection due to this lane reduction
One lane of travel in each direction on SW Avalon Way
Right turns in and out of driveways at this time
Work is continuing in Zones C, D and E. See our website or most recent email updates for more information on what’s taking place.
The update included this Q/A:
Why are you painting temporary striping of the final design?
Current roadway temperatures are too low for final striping paint to dry on SW Avalon Way. Instead, we will use a temporary paint that can dry at cooler temperatures to mark the final lane configuration. We will return when the weather gets warmer to apply final striping.
Will work continue as the weather gets colder?
Yes. Although much of our work is weather dependent, we will continue to work through the end of this year. We will likely pause work early next year, as cold temperatures and rain make it more difficult to complete work.
We’ve asked for clarification on what they mean by “warmer” weather for final striping – more seasonal fall temperatures, or springtime as previously planned.
4:10 PM: The new “Magic of Morgan” Halloween celebration – previewed here Wednesday – is on until 5 pm at Morga Junction businesses. We’ve stopped at a few – above, pumpkin decorating is happening inside Youngstown Coffee Company (6032 California SW); below, Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW) is offering treats:
4:50 PM: Other participants – Frank at Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW):
Julie and Dayton at O’Neill Plumbing (6056 California SW):
(Both those businesses are WSB sponsors.) More West Seattle Halloween coverage to come!
3:50 PM: If you’re headed for Morgan Junction from points south, note that northbound traffic is being detoured at Graham because of the crash in our photo. No injuries reported.
4:07 PM: The street’s clear now.
(Spirit of Kingston – WSB file photo)
Announced this afternoon by the King County Water Taxi:
Due to a mechanical issue on one of the Sally Fox’s main engines, the 149-passenger Spirit of Kingston will replace the 278-passenger Doc Maynard on the West Seattle route. West Seattle riders should plan accordingly given the reduced passenger capacity, especially on the 8:00 and 8:35 morning sailings as well as the 4:45 and 5:25 evening sailings. The Doc Maynard will provide service on the higher ridership Vashon Island route. The Sally Fox repairs are expected to be complete next week, at which time the vessels will return to their usual assignments.
This is the first week of the fall/winter schedule for the Water Taxi, which doesn’t return to 7-day service until March 21, 2020.
We reported two weeks ago on the Chief Sealth International High School slowpitch-softball team winning the Metro League championship. Tomorrow (Friday, November 1st) they open play in the state 2A/3A tournament in Yakima. They’ll play Washougal at noon, with a second game at 4 pm depending on the results of that one. The two-day tournament at Gateway Sports Complex concludes with the championship and 3rd/4th-place games at 2 pm Saturday.
(WSB photo: Ellen McMillin, Alberto Navarro, Naby Camara, Susan Hunt Navarro)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One fun night in West Seattle can ensure countless safe nights for students on the other side of the planet.
November 10th at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), JUNO Award-winning musician Naby Camara headlines the event to raise money to build a school dormitory in Karatu, Tanzania.
We talked with the musician – a West Seattleite – and event organizers Susan Hunt Navarro, Alberto Navarro, and Ellen McMillin at C & P earlier this week. Susan is a board member for the Karatu Education Fund. She and Alberto first learned about the area while traveling in Africa more than a decade ago. Alberto wanted to build a library in memory of his parents, and they looked for a non-governmental organization to partner with. They found the Karatu Education Fund – and learned it already had a connection to the Northwest – a board member from Bellingham. It’s a small organization, they explain, taking on just a few projects a year, so the assistance goes a long way.
When they first visited the school in Karatu, it was lunchtime, and the students were just sitting under a tree, Alberto said – they had no food, no kitchen, no time to walk the long distance back to their homes. By the time they reached secondary-school age, only six percent of the girls were still in school. Read More
We checked out a “car fire” call at Delridge/Holden and discovered it was actually that Metro Route 120 bus. Not a major fire – the two dispatched engines that were dismissed from the call fairly quickly – but the riders on board had to transfer to another bus to complete their trip, and the coach is at the roadside awaiting attention.
(Halloween decorations in Belvidere, photographed by Rose De Dan)
Tonight’s the night! From the WSB West Seattle Halloween Etc. Guide:
MORNING TRICK-OR-TREATING: Now through noon trick-or-treating at Holy Rosary School, all kids 5 and under welcome. (42nd/Genesee)
MAGIC OF MORGAN: New “Magic of Morgan” trick-or-treating event, 3-5 pm. Most participants are along California north of Fauntleroy.
SPOOKY STORIES: Halloween Storytime for kids up to 8 years old at Southwest Library, 3:30 pm. (9010 35th SW)
WESTWOOD VILLAGE TRICK-OR-TREATING: 4-6 pm trick-or-treating at the shopping center, on Halloween again this year. (2600 SW Barton)
SOUTH PARK TRICK-OR-TREATING: South Park businesses invite trick-or-treaters, 5-7 pm on Halloween. See the list here. (14th/Cloverdale)
HARVEST PARTY: 5 pm @ West Side Presbyterian Church. “On October 31st we’ll be having our annual Harvest Party in Howell Auditorium! As usual, there will be booths set up throughout Howell with games for kids, and, of course, there will be a cakewalk.” Free. (3601 California SW)
HAUNTED HOUSE & FOOD DRIVE: Meeds Manor Haunted House, 5:30-9 pm, a benefit for West Seattle Food Bank – bring donations. New location this year. (3011 45th SW)
MORPH ON 44TH: 5:30-9 pm.”Halloween Scare and Display, All Trick-or-Treaters Welcome…Parents, Kids, and Doggies, too! Candy, Non-candy (Teal Pumpkin House), and Dog Treats. House will morph during the day on Oct 31 and come alive at dusk! Warning: Beware of the Scare Zone!” (2747 44th SW)
NIGHTMARE ON 44TH: Animatronics and more in a spooky West Seattle yard. Sunset to 9 pm on Halloween night. (44th SW between Charlestown and Andover)
SKELETON THEATRE: Animatronic Skeleton Theatre is back with “a remounting of “Ulna 13,” about skeletons in space. The show is about 20 minutes and will loop tonight and tomorrow night. skeletontheatre.com. 6-9 pm both nights. Free. (36th/Hanford)
‘NIGHT OF THE LIVING TEENS’ At Southgate Roller Rink, 6-8 pm. Co-sponsored by Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor).
Live music from local young artists, food, drinks, costumes, photo booth and a good time!
$12 at the door w/ FREE skate rental
ALL AGES
6-6:45 The Band THEM
7-7:45 Celeste Flesheim
(9646 17th SW)
TRICK-OR-TREATING AT THE KENNEY: 6:30-7:30 pm, trick-or-treating at The Kenney (WSB sponsor). “Open to the public. Children up to age 12 are invited to Trick or Treat in our Main Lobby and visit with residents. Fun, Safe, Free, Warm, and Dry!” (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
‘NIGHTFALL ORPHANAGE’, 7:30-10:30 pm “garage haunt” show in an Alki yard. Full details in our calendar listing. (2130 Alki SW)
Also, throughout the night:
TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT: Look for the pumpkins signaling nclusivity for food-allergic trick-or-treaters – map and info here
JACK-O-LANTERNS APLENTY: ~100 carved pumpkins on display, as shown here! (5230 SW Dakota)
For bar/tavern parties, see the guide! And from our regular calendar:
FINAL BODY IN-STORE: 7 pm, free, all-ages in-store performance at Easy Street Records. (California/Alaska)
Before we get to the Halloween highlights list:
Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner sent that safety advice. If you can’t read it above, try here (PDF).
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning. No alerts/incidents in our area so far.
FERRY UPDATE: From Washington State Ferries:
The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will return its regular 3-boat schedule mid-day Thursday, October 31, as M/V Sealth will return from maintenance and U.S. Coast Guard inspection a day earlier than expected. M/V Kitsap (Vessel position #2) and M/V Issaquah (Vessel position #1) will resume the 3-boat schedule with the 12:35 p.m. sailing from Vashon to Southworth and the 12:40 p.m. sailing from Vashon to Fauntleroy, respectively. Sealth will return to the route in the #3 position beginning with the 2:15 p.m. sailing from Vashon to Fauntleroy. The galley on the Sealth reopens Friday, November 1. Please continue to view the two-boat alternate schedule for all departures prior to 12:35 p.m. Thursday, October 31.
HALLOWEEN: Watch for trick-or-treaters tonight!
FALL BACK THIS WEEKEND: Reminder, Daylight Saving Time ends Saturday night/Sunday morning – at 2 am, the clock goes back an hour.
Last weekend, we noted that Arbor Heights teen Joseph Meats was collecting drop-off donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. Now, the results! From Judi Yazzolino at WSFB:
Joey & his Dad, Tony, delivered all the food Tuesday for a total of 565 pounds of food & pet food. He also did a fundraiser on Facebook & our website for a total of $305. We love Joey and his parents; they have been incredible supporters of the West Seattle Food Bank for many years and now that Joey is a teenager, he has started volunteering here at the food bank as well.
Missed the chance to donate? At least two local Halloween attractions in our guide (the Meeds Haunted House and Nightfall Orphanage) are collecting nonperishable food, so take some with you when you head out!
We often publish remembrances about people who have died; tonight, we have one about a cat. An extraordinary cat, as her human companion Dr. Jean Nokes-Ghivizzani explains:
For over a quarter of a century, a 6-pound fluffy calico cat named Luna has graced Falconridge Farm in the Highland Park area of West Seattle.
She was the greeter, the guardian, a rider of horses, and put the rodents on notice. She was one of a litter of kittens abandoned in South Park and brought to Falconridge as a young kitten, arriving mid-April 1994 on the full moon.
Luna became a celebrity and was a feature on the International Discovery Channel, appeared in the Seattle Times, the West Seattle Blog, and KING-TV. Because Luna was an amputee, she had a fan club of other amputees for whom she was an inspiration.
Just before submitting her Great Animal Videos TV audition tape, Luna came into the barn dragging her hind leg, which had a compound fracture, and after 2 surgeries, it was finally removed. Prior to that time, Luna had spent about 16 hours each day on a horse.
She slept in the middle of their backs at night, curled up in their hay where the horses gently nibbled around her, rode out to the pastures on her equine friends, jumped on passing horses and rode double behind the surprised riders.
Luna was practicing sitting on a trotting horse for TV shortly before her accident. What had occurred was not clear but what was clear was that Luna was not going to be held back. 2 days after returning to Falconridge after her amputation, she was up on top of the stall dividers, and yes, back on a horse. Her balance was off a bit and she would go backward, but one of her Falconridge friends took her to her own chiropractor. After a few weeks of adjustments, Luna was much improved and resumed riding, although she preferred her mounts to be walking or dozing.
On September 16th, 2019, her solitary hind leg gave out. She went home with her human Mom and after a night in her cozy bed with care, catnip, and her favorite toys, she made it clear she could not go on. She is mourned, missed, and celebrated simultaneously. Luna is a legend and now has joined the dynasty of distinguished Falconridge barn cats, all of whom lived through their mid-twenties. She left no trainee.
We asked Dr. Nokes-Ghivizzani about Falconridge Farm’s status, since you might recall that it was for sale for a while two years ago. She replied, “Falconridge is thriving. The facility is being used (not leased) exclusively by a horse rescue and all is well, as my late husband used to say. A small part of a feature-length film will be shot there this year.”
Thanks to the reader who sent photos tonight of the Genesee Hill house – mentioned in the WSB West Seattle Halloween Etc. Guide – with more than 100 carved pumpkins on display!
Jason told us he displayed more than 50 last year, and doubled it this year.
You can see them through Halloween in the 5200 block of SW Dakota.
6:26 PM: One minute into overtime at Walt Hundley Playfield, the West Seattle High School girls’ soccer team broke a 1-1 tie with Holy Names and won their first game of the Metro League 3A tournament.
Next they play the winner of tonight’s (corrected) Garfield-Seattle Prep game.
7:50 PM: Photos added.
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: The bracket is finally updated. WSHS will play Seattle Prep at 7 pm Saturday (November 2nd) at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
Thanks to Lynda for the tip: Shack Coffeehouse has announced it’s closing after this Friday. From its Instagram page:
As you all know it has been a rocky last couple of months for us here at The Shack. Construction has caused a drastic cut in business and it is sadly time for us to close our doors. Our last day open will be Friday Nov. 1st, 7:30AM-1PM. All merch such as sweatshirts, t-shirts, water bottles, coffee cups and reusable tote bags will be 50% off! Stop in and grab one to remember us by! We thank you for your support, and you can still see some of your favorite baristas working at @hotwirecoffee so feel free to swing by and see them! Thank you West Seattle!
Shack staffers told us business dropped by half within the first few weeks of the Avalon roadwork five months ago; then last month, the owners listed it for sale. Before it became Shack Coffeehouse, the little building at 2920 Avalon Way had been Java Bean for almost 20 years.
3:36 PM: As previewed last night, West Seattle High School students have joined the Admiral District trick-or-treating lineup this year, with a “trunk-or-treat” arrangement of decorated cars between the southwest edge of Hiawatha and the northwest edge of the WSHS campus. Worth a look even if you don’t want candy!
Otherwise, looks like this year’s participants are mostly along California, both sides of Admiral. More photos in a bit; Admiral trick-or-treating continues until 6 pm.
4:23 PM: Working our way north, above is A Kids’ Place Too Dentistry for Children (WSB sponsor); below, Admiral Bird:
Fun costumes spotted, too:
Tomorrow, two more business-district trick-or-treat events – Magic of Morgan (3-5 pm) and Westwood Village (4-6 pm).
Businesses in booming Morgan Junction have decided to join the list of local business districts hosting trick-or-treat events. Zoe from Youngstown Coffee Company (6032 California SW) came up with the idea for “Magic of Morgan” – 3-5 pm tomorrow (Halloween), “Businesses will be handing out candy and goodies and Youngstown Coffee will be doing pumpkin decorating.” For 21+, she adds, Beveridge Place Pub has a doggie-costume contest starting at 6 pm. The businesses listed are primarily on both sides of California north of Fauntleroy; Zoe says you might see some last-minute additions. We’re adding this, meantime, to the WSB West Seattle Halloween Etc. Guide.
Thanks for the tip! Striping is under way today on repaved Avalon Way; SDOT had said in its most-recent weekly update that it expected the work to start this week. Previously, the striping wasn’t expected to happen until spring; SDOT now says that’s when it’ll install some of the final touches such as flex posts for the bike lanes. You can see the final design here (PDF).
Since 2006, a spirited group of residents and friends has transformed a yard in southeast Admiral into the stage for Skeleton Theatre, a multimedia extravaganza starring animatronic skeletons. They’re at it again for Halloween 2019, bringing back their space epic “Ulna 13.” Skeleton Theatre tends to be more goofy than spooky, so it’s safe even for the easily scared. Just look and listen for the crowd at 36th/Hanford [map] Halloween night and Friday (November 1st), a free 20-minute show running continuously 6-9 pm both nights.
P.S. “Ulna 13” was originally presented six years ago – here’s our coverage from that Halloween.
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