West Seattle, Washington
23 Friday
Along with the 35th/Alaska intersection closure and related detours, 2 more to mention: Construction at Fauntleroy/Edmunds is partly blocking the NB side; a texter says the 35th/Barton lights are out & an officer is there.
Hadn’t heard about this until Lisa texted this morning – thank you! Louisa Boren STEM K-8 is hosting a big regional robotics tournament all day. You’re welcome to stop by and watch the action in the school gym.
It’s a VEX IQ Challenge tournament, qualifying competitors to advance to state, as explained here.
Special guest while we were there, the Seattle Police bomb-squad robot:
We’re told teams from as far away as Olympia are participating; finals are at 3:15 pm. Boren STEM K-8 is at 5950 Delridge Way SW.
Yes, there are people shopping in their jammies in The Junction – first-ever Pajamarama until noon! Businesses are in the spirit too – above, Emily at Lika Love Boutique; below, Paula and Sam at Fleurt:
You get free hot cocoa for visiting the filling station in the Windermere lobby, where we found Susan, Lora, and Kathleen from the Junction Association:
Spend $20 this morning, get a cool Hometown Holidays mug!
(Bewick’s Wren, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Welcome to Saturday! First –
TRAFFIC REMINDER: The 35th/Alaska intersection is closed for weekend work, but the closure has far-reaching effects – here’s our update from last night.
Now – what’s up, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar:
PAJAMARAMA: 9 am-noon in The Junction:
Shop in your jammies! This is your chance to shop in your pajamas! Get your cozy flannels on and come to the Junction for Pajamarama! At participating merchants receive a free limited edition diner mug w/ $20 purchase (you must be wearing your PJs). Or simply bring a mug with you. Either way, we’ll fill it with free hot cocoa (w/whipped cream and sprinkles) at the cocoa-filling station run by the Junction volunteers. So grab your friends, and have a fun morning shopping and brunching. Find the cocoa station cozied inside the Junction Windermere across from CAPERS. Your Junction merchants will also be wearing jammies!
(Cocoa’s at 4526 California SW)
SANTA PHOTOS AT CAPERS: At CAPERS, 9 am-noon, DIY photos with $20 suggested donation benefiting West Seattle Food Bank. (4525 California SW)
6318 41ST SW SITE TOUR: Be at this future redevelopment site for an “early community outreach” site tour with the project team, 10 am. (6318 41st SW)
(added 10:53 am) ROBOTICS TOURNAMENT: Got late word of this one – VEX IQ Challenge regional robotics tournament under way in the gym at Louisa Boren STEM K-8, finals at 3:15 pm, public welcome. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
WOMEN’S SAFETY TRAINING: 10 am at the Southwest Precinct, free training session for women. (2300 SW Webster)
NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR: Duwamish Longhouse Native Northwest Holiday Gift Fair continues today, 10 am-5 pm. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
CHRISTMAS MARKET, 10 am-4 om, handmade gifts/crafts, baked goods, and food at Admiral Congregational Church. (4320 SW Hill)
GIFT IDEA TO BENEFIT VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: Visit the Vietnamese Cultural Center today during its regular open-to-the-public hours, noon-3 pm, and buy Brown Bear Car Wash tickets for $7. (2236 SW Orchard)
SANTA IN NORTH DELRIDGE: Find him at Ounces, 1-4 pm: “Bring the kids, dogs, & the whole family down to Ounces for free pics with Santa! And food from Cheesesteak Madness! And beer, of course!” (3809 Delridge Way SW)
SANTA IN WESTWOOD: Selfies with Santa at Westwood Village, 2-4 pm. (2600 SW Barton)
HAPPY HOUR JAZZ: At the Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki, with Jennifer Mellish Music and Friends, 4-6:30 pm. No cover. Food and drink specials. All ages. (2808 Alki SW)
LOCUST CIDER HOLIDAY PARTY: At the location on Alki, 5-8 pm. “We will have holiday festivities, new flavors, and fun!” (2820 Alki SW)
LIGHT SHOW: Uehara-Bingen Christmas Lights Show starts tonight on Alki! 5:45 pm start.
We’ve been working hard to put together a fun show, and we would absolutely love to share it with you. The show is ~25 minutes long, and everyone will gather outside the front of our house, so be sure to dress warm! Please note that everyone’s going to have to head out shortly after the show. We’ll need to get the kids to bed!
(1736 Alki SW)
SANTA PHOTOS AT MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS: West Seattle’s brightest Christmas lights are the backdrop for Santa photos at the Menashe Family Lights, 6-10 pm. Bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank. (5605 Beach Drive SW)
NATALEE WOODS AUTHOR READING: 6 pm, local author reads from her first memoir, at Paper Boat Booksellers. (6040 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE SANTA PUB CRAWL: 6 pm – here’s the schedule:
Shadowland- 6 pm-7 pm
Beer Junction- 7 pm-8 pm
Corner Pocket- 8 pm-9 pm
The Lodge Sports Grille- 9 pm-10 pm
Poggie Tavern- 10 pm-11 pm
Talarico’s- 11 pm-12 am
Bring a small toy for Toys for Tots!
‘THE MEDICINE’ SCREENING: 6 pm documentary and discussion at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
CASPAR BABYPANTS: 6:30 pm, Grammy nominee Caspar Babypants performs at Easy Street Records. Free. (California SW/SW Alaska)
CHOIR CONCERT: Northwest Firelight Chorale holiday concert at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church,, 7:30 pm – details here. (3050 California SW)
NANCY ERICKSON: Jazz singer performs at 8 pm, Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki. Cover info here. (2808 Alki SW)
THE ESOTERICS: 8 pm concert at Holy Rosary. (42nd/Genesee)
JOE T COOK BLUES BAND: 8 pm CD release show at Poggie Tavern. 21+. (4717 California SW)
BLUEGRASS: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern, with DeadGrass & The Legendary Tiny Giants. $8 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
The first of at least two weekend-long 35th/Alaska intersection closures – as part of the Avalon/35th repaving-and-more project – is under way. With SDOT warning of a long detour, we checked out the perimeter tonight. Above, eastbound SW Alaska is blocked at 36th. Below, no turns from Avalon to 35th, either direction:
And if you are heading north on 35th, no photo, but there is indeed a big barricade and traffic-control officer there too, restricting use to “local access.” This is all an attempt to stave off major side-street cut-through driving. The SDOT detour map is here, in PDF.) If you are riding the bus, the info on Route 21 – including a shuttle bus – is here, in PDF. This is all scheduled to last until “early Monday,” but we will keep watch on Sunday in case of an early reopening. The next closure is set for next weekend.
We have a fondness for balcony Christmas lights, with childhood memories from apartment living. So we had to grab a photo of this one when we spotted it tonight – a charming configuration on a balcony in North Admiral, west side of California, just south of Atlantic. (Got lights to suggest, yours or someone else’s? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
Another chance to shop late! VAIN West Seattle (4513 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open tonight, with a bonus in the boutique tonight – a pop-up with Mary Stone and her jewelry! She sells her unique necklace online as An Occasional Dream; tonight you can meet her and see her creations up close. It’s on until 9 pm, with treats too; besides jewelry, other items you’l find at VAIN range from sassy art to artsy glasses cases to soft scarves.
ORIGINAL FRIDAY REPORT: Thanks to Aaron for the photo! The long-promised left-turn signal lights are finally installed, though not yet activated, at 35th/Barton. They were promised when SDOT announced Phase 2 of the 35th SW Safety Project more than a year and a half ago. We will be checking Monday for the activation timeline.
SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: No need to check – just went through the intersection and the new turn lights are now working.
Charges are now filed in the arrest first reported here Wednesday night, that of a now-suspended West Seattle High School instructional assistant accused of arranging online to meet a 14-year-old girl and pay her for sex. 34-year-old Brennan M. Smith, a Ballard resident, remains free after posting bond on $20,000 bail. He is charged with one count of attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor. As noted in our previous report, he was arrested Tuesday night at a motel in Seatac. King County Sheriff’s Office detectives say he showed up there after communicating by text message with a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl and agreeing to pay “her” $150 for “unprotected sex.” They say the contact was initiated when Smith responded to “an online advertisement … on an escort-service website.” The charging document also said he was found to be in possession of $100 cash and the phone that was used to send text messages to arrange the encounter. In post-arrest questioning, the documents say, Smith claimed he had arranged the encounter because he had “helped prostitutes in the past in an attempt to help them out of the lifestyle. … Detectives asked Smith why he didn’t contact police for assistance if he thought a juvenile was in trouble; his response was he didn’t know and he thought he could just help on his own.” The district has described Smith only as an “instructional assistant”; his now-deleted LinkedIn profile said he was a “special education paraprofessional.” The district declined to answer questions including whether he was working at other schools besides WSHS. His arraignment is scheduled for December 26th.
Santa hasn’t gone back to the North Pole just yet to get ready for Christmas – he has a busy weekend of appearances left in West Seattle, starting with this one at HomeStreet Bank (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) in The Junction. That’s branch manager Nam Le in our pic with Santa. Stop by for a free photo until 6 pm!
(Photos courtesy Urban Homestead Foundation)
We haven’t heard much about the Dakota Homestead campaign, raising money to buy the ex-substation at 50th/Dakota (across from Genesee Hill Elementary), but it’s still alive, supporters say, and they’re inviting you to an informational event next week. It’s been three and a half years since the campaign launched; along the way, organizers have amassed some donations as well as grant money, but they have further to go to achieve their dream of buying the site to turn it into a neighborhood preserve and gathering space, a hub for urban gardening and environmental education. Board members of the Urban Homestead Foundation will host an informal meeting and Q&A session 6-7 pm Wednesday (December 18th) at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 2306 42nd SW. Board member Rich Sheibley tells WSB, “We are also using this time to ask for volunteers to help us on this project, and provide an overview of where we plan to go from here.”
(2015 tunnel-machine-repair site photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
Six years ago, right about this time of year, the Highway 99 tunnel machine broke down, and tunneling was on hold for more than two years. The state sued the contractor, Seattle Tunnel Partners, seeking $57 million. Today, a jury in Thurston County ruled in favor of the state, saying STP indeed should pay that sum. As noted in this Seattle Times report, the state claimed the stall was STP’s fault, while STP claimed it was the state’s fault. WSDOT sent this statement from state Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar:
“WSDOT is committed to protecting taxpayer money. Knowing the risks associated with tunneling beneath downtown Seattle, we structured our contract with Seattle Tunnel Partners in a way that placed the risks of tunneling on the contractor. We have remained steadfast in our belief that Seattle Tunnel Partners was responsible for the costs of fixing the broken tunneling machine and paying damages for completing the tunnel three years late. We believe the jury got it right and we are grateful for their patience and dedication to ensuring a fair outcome to this case. Since an appeal is possible, we cannot yet say what will become of the damages awarded by the jury.”
If you’re interested in more backstory, here’s a WSDOT infosheet (PDF) also sent today.
That’s part of the pile of Toys for Tots donations dropped off at the office of Northwest Insurance Group (WSB sponsor) this season. John Moore sent the photo and these words of gratitude: “HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN OUR WEST SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD for their generous contributions to the toy drive. We were overwhelmed and thrilled to be able to deliver these toys to kids in need.”
P.S. Got a donation drive/giving tree/etc. still in progress? Let us know if it’s not already in our West Seattle Holiday Guide‘s “Giving Opportunities” list!
(Grinch sighted on West Seattle tower crane! Photo from Chris @ Compass Construction)
Big ho-ho-holiday weekend begins:
DUWAMISH NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR RETURNS: Until 5 pm today and again 10 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday, the Duwamish Longhouse Native Northwest Holiday Gift Fair is back with local vendors and Native artists “showcasing goods including wood carvings, beadwork, drums, prints, paintings, and more.” (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
FREE SANTA PHOTOS: Visit Santa at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor), 3-6 pm. (4022 SW Alaska)
HAPPY HOUR JAZZ: Maguire & Peters at Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki, 4-6:30 pm. No cover. All ages. Food and beverage specials! (2808 Alki SW)
NIGHT MARKET:West Seattle Winter Night Market, 5-9 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral. More than 20 local artists, makers, and bakers. (2656 42nd SW)
POP-UP:VAIN (WSB sponsor) pop-up jewelry show, 6-9 pm. (4513 California SW)
KAREEM KANDI BAND: Jazz, blues, funk, classical saxophonist and band at Pacific Room on Alki, 7-10 pm. Cover info here. (2808 Alki SW)
SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), monthly showcase. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
ART LOUNGE: Artists 21+ are invited to come to Highland Park Improvement Club, starting at 7 pm, for the chance to work on your project(s) with likeminded spirits. Bar’s open. (1116 SW Holden)
‘HEAD OVER HEELS’: ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) presents “Head Over Heels: The Musical,” curtain at 7:30 pm. Directed by Mathew Wright. Tickets available here. (4711 California SW)
‘MIRACLE ON 34Th STREET’: Join Twelfth Night Productions for “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Radio Play.” 7:30 pm curtain at Kenyon Hall. Buy your ticket(s) online at this Brown Paper Tickets link, or at the venue box office. (7904 35th SW)
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern with Runaway Satellites, Star Meets Sea, The Owl Heads. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
(WSB photo from 2018 St. Nicholas Faire)
One of this weekend’s big events is the St. Nicholas Faire, a one-of-a-kind holiday shopping event and nonprofit benefit, with one major change this year: It’s happening on Sunday afternoon instead of evening. The Faire is at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, just north of The Junction at 4105 California SW, 1-4 pm Sunday (December 15th). Its central event is a silent auction of a huge variety of custom-made gift baskets with themes including:
Children’s Books
Air Fryer
Children’s Science Gear
Beer & Wine
Gardening
Baked Goods
Seahawks Gear
Olive Oil/Vinegar
Framed Photos
Kitchen Gadgets
Tools
U of W Gear
Holiday Items
Barware
Baking Tools
Storage Containers
Art Supplies
Tea & Coffee Items
Also gift certificates/cards for local businesses. The St. Nicholas Faire has a small admission fee that benefits local nonprofits, and it’s less if you bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank. P.S. If you’ll be driving to get there, the church has a big parking lot in back.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:15 AM: Good morning. No incidents or alerts for our area so far.
WEEKEND CLOSURE REMINDER: The 35th/Alaska intersection is scheduled to close all weekend for work, starting at 7 pm tonight.
RIDE2 SERVICE ENDING: As Metro announced Tuesday, the on-demand shuttle will end service one week from today.
If you too were wondering about the status of these two …
THE GOOD SOCIETY: Five months have passed since we first reported on this brewery/pub opening just south of Lafayette Elementary. We checked in with co-proprietor Nick Berger, who tells WSB: “We were almost going to make our goal of opening this year, but it looks like probably mid-January. Construction is wrapping up and we are beginning to brew beer.” Turns out West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog reported last week on that milestone.
And in The Junction:
DARBY WINERY: Many have noticed the signage that went up recently on the space just west of Easy Street Records. Darby Winery‘s long had a tasting room in Woodinville but winemaker Darby English is a West Seattleite and opening this tasting room to add to the peninsula’s growing wine scene. He told WSB today, “We should be opening within the next few weeks. We are excited to open in West Seattle.”
Caroling, Santa, shopping, and art! It’s all happening in the West Seattle Junction right now during the West Seattle Art Walk‘s holiday edition.
That’s Vanessa Ly-Nguyen, one of tonight’s featured artists – find her at Flying Apron (4709 California SW) until 8 pm. See tonight’s map, venue list, and artist spotlights here.
(added) At CAPERS (4525 California SW), the annual Abstract Invitational features artists including Linda Wallace. Also … tasting and gaming! Meantime, a sample of the caroling:
The Silver Belles have been making the rounds. Go shop late – until 9 at many merchants!
Though West Seattle Lights is no more, the neighborhood near that show’s former site is still full of holiday spirit – including Wyatt‘s house at 40th and Charlestown. Wyatt notes, “Our whole block is also very festive again this year.” Thanks for sending the photo! More tips – with or without photos – appreciate at westseattleblog@gmail.com; you can scroll through our archive of Christmas-lights coverage by going here.
Today we welcome West Seattle Wonder Dogs as a new WSB sponsor. Here’s what they would like you to know about what they do:
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Wonder Dogs)
West Seattle Wonder Dogs offers puppy socialization using the close supervision of two certified dog trainers in a small-class setting. Puppies can gain confidence with other dogs and humans while learning play skills and developing potty training. Time is set aside for questions about how to raise a puppy.
Doggy day care is also provided. Dogs can interact in a small setting, and training is available both as a class and part of the day-care program We use only force-free training methods, which keeps training fun and positive. Our training classes are smaller than average, allowing for individualized attention. Our day-care program is limited to 15 medium-to-small dogs, so every dog feels safe and has direct human supervision. We offer in-home individual training, group classes, and pull-out training sessions for dogs during day care, so there is something for everyone!
West Seattle Wonder Dogs clients consistently say that their relationship with their dog has improved by coming to us. Life with a new puppy has become easier and more enjoyable; the bond people have with their dogs becomes stronger and more positive than ever; and many frustrating behavior problems have been solved. Many of our clients continue with classes after their dog has learned basic manners, because whether it’s learning new tricks, participating in agility, or taking the first steps
toward service-dog certification, working together and learning new things is equally fun and rewarding for the humans and canines involved!
West Seattle Wonder Dogs is located at 2414 SW Andover, Suite E115. For more info or appointments, call 206-472-2946 or email info@westseattlewonderdogs.com.
We thank West Seattle Wonder Dogs for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Development notes this afternoon:
PROJECT CANCELED: Last month, we mentioned early-stage plans for four new single-family houses to be added to a site that already has one at 9441 26th SW, south of Westwood Village. We noticed an “early outreach” meeting for it on the city calendar – and then the listing disappeared before we could even write a story. Now a note sent to area community advocates by the project architect explains it: “The title report for the project turned up to have covenants restricting development. Unfortunately, this application and meeting is being canceled.”
(corrected) APPEAL TIME: Applications have just been approved for two projects elsewhere in West Seattle, and that opens two-week appeal periods for both: One is 4807 41st SW, “a 4-story apartment building with 22 small efficiency dwelling units. No parking proposed” (in the works almost three years); the other is 9251 35th SW, “two 3-story, townhouse buildings (8 units total). Parking for 6 vehicles proposed.” Follow each address’s link for the official notice, including how to appeal.
Before we get too much further into your Thursday, a quick look at some big things happening tonight:
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK, HOLIDAY EDITION: That’s the map/venue list for tonight’s Art Walk – which also features carolers and Santa Claus! The Art Walk officially starts at 5 pm. Looking for ideas on which venues to visit? Here’s the official preview spotlighting some of the artists and venues! And there’s music – not only The Art of Music featuring Marina Christopher, but also the Silver Belles caroling! Santa Claus will be wandering too. Look for those extra holiday guests after 6 pm in the heart of The Junction – California SW between Oregon and Edmunds – but the Art Walk has stops all over The Junction.
SHOP LATE THURSDAY: In The Junction, this is happening tonight too. Many shops will be open until 9 pm.
Other highlights tonight:
CHIEF SEALTH IHS PROSPECTIVE STUDENT NIGHT: 6-7 pm tonight, Chief Sealth International High School invites prospective students and their families to visit. Here’s the flyer with details:
(2600 SW Thistle)
SHERI ROBERTS GREIMES: Award winning blues singer-songwriter performs at Pacific Room on Alki (WSB sponsor). No cover. All ages. 6-9 pm. (2808 Alki SW)
AVIATION PROGRAM OPEN HOUSE: 6 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – details here. (6000 16th SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: 6 pm at Southwest Library, Feliks Banel talks about local weather as explored in his book “Storm Warning: Historic Weather in the Evergreen State.” (9010 35th SW)
STUDENT JAZZ: 7 pm concert at Madison Middle School. (3429 45th SW)
LOTS MORE … see the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide.
(Added: Photo posted in comments by James Riley)
10:27 AM: During The Whale Trail‘s event Tuesday night (our report is still in progress), local researcher Mark Sears predicted orcas would be back in this area “any day now.” Alki Point resident Gary Jones, who has shared photos here many times over the years, reports a sudden sighting this past hour – and after a period of activity including breaches, they vanished again. They were “moving slowly southbound” and close to this side at the time. If you see them pop up anywhere, let us know!
10:46 AM: Just got a text that they are in view off Alki Beach, in the Starbucks vicinity (Alki/61st).
11:02 AM: Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales confirms orcas off Alki – he has them in view off 63rd/Alki. They’re transient orcas, not southern residents, adds Kersti Muul.
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