West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Rendering by Mahlum Architects – north side of school)
After a pre-hearing conference today, the city Hearing Examiner’s Office has set the date for the hearing on the latest appeal of a zoning exception for the Alki Elementary rebuild: May 22. Today’s conference was presided over by the same deputy hearing examiner who ordered Seattle Public Schools last year to reconsider its “no on-site parking” plan, Susan Drummond, after different appellants challenged it. As we reported in December, SPS subsequently came up with a plan for 15 spaces; in February, the city Department of Construction and Inspections approved it (as they originally had done for the no-parking plan); then this month, a new group of appellants calling themselves Friends for a Safe Alki Community filed a challenge. Their lawyer was at today’s conference as were two lawyers for the school district as well as the SDCI land-use planner assigned to the project. The levy-funded rebuild and expansion of Alki Elementary is on hold until this is resolved, because the building permit can’t be granted until the zoning exception for parking is either finalized, or rendered unnecessary by a plan allowing for the 48 spaces the current zoning rules require. Meantime, all sides have a series of deadlines to prepare for the May 22 hearing (for which a second day is set aside May 23 if needed), per the order resulting from today’s conference.
ADDED APRIL 14: A routine check of the case file reveals the hearing date has changed to May 28.
By this time next Monday night (April 1), registration will be open for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024 – hundreds of sales, all around the peninsula, 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 11, always the second Saturday in May. It’s the biggest community garage-sale day in the region; we have coordinated it since 2008, three years after the first WSCGSD. It’s not one big sale but instead many sales large and small all over West Seattle, in yards and garages and courtyards and planting strips and community rooms and gyms and businesses and driveways and other settings. (Here’s our coverage of last year’s WSCGSD.) We create a map/guide to all the sales, available online (clickable and printable versions) a week in advance so shoppers can start planning. So again, this year’s dates – April 1 (next Monday), registration begins; May 4, map available; May 11, sale day!
(WSB photo, 2015)
Nine years ago, we took that photo of West Seattle Cellars proprietors Jan Martindale and Tom DiStefano as the shop at 6026 California SW marked its 20th anniversary. With one year to go until its 30th, WSC is about to start its “next chapter” with new owners. First, here’s the announcement made today:
As most of our customers know, we are approaching retirement age. Over the last year we’ve given a lot of thought to how we could secure the future of West Seattle Cellars as the only full-service wine shop in West Seattle. So we are very happy to announce that, on April 1, we will pass ownership of the shop to our friends, neighbors, and club members Jessica DiAsio and Bryce Fink, who live very close to the shop. Jessica and Bryce are excited about the opportunity to serve the West Seattle community with the same high standards of selection and service that our shop has demonstrated since its founding in 1995. …
We want to assure our customers that no immediate changes are planned. Tom will continue to be in the shop for the foreseeable future, helping in the selection of wines and assisting customers in finding the right wines. The wine tastings and wine clubs will continue in the same format. Gift certificates will continue to be honored, and all the wines that we are holding in the shop for customers will still be available. Just as our dear late partner Bear learned from Matt, the founder of the shop, and we learned from Bear, we look forward to passing on our knowledge and experience to Bryce and Jessica.
We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to all our wonderful customers, who have loyally supported us for over 24 years. We hope you’ll continue to support West Seattle Cellars as Jessica and Bryce open the next chapter in our story.
Tom, Jan, and the late Bear Silverstein took over the shop almost five years after Matt Mabus opened it “on April 1, 1995 in the little building our office shares with the message studio,” Tom reminisces. “We (Bear, Jan and myself) took over on January 1, 2000 with no announcement, and we moved into our current shop on December 7, 2005. We had no idea we would own the shop for over 24 years. When Jan and I took over on December 2, 2006, after Bear’s first stroke, we didn’t even know if the shop would survive.” We asked him for standout memories: “There are so many: great tastings and classes, wines that made a difference in customers lives, the outpouring of support during the pandemic and beyond. But the memory that will stay with me the longest is the day that Bear died, January 14, 2010, and the partners and close friends gathering in his memory that night after the public tasting.” Though not as an owner, Tom expects to work in the shop “for the first couple of years of the next chapter,” so there’s still a chance for him to make a few more memories.
4:33 PM: So far we have two reports from Gatewood this afternoon about discolored tap water. No emergencies are showing on the Seattle Public Utilities water map, which means hydrant testing is a possibility – that tends to stir up sediment (rust) in the pipes, and as we reported recently, this is the start of the busy season for testing. If brown water happens to you, be sure to contact SPU’s 24/7 hotline at 206-386-1800 to let them know, even if you think someone else in your neighborhood already has. (And don’t do laundry until you’re sure the water’s running clear!)
8:27 PM: As noted in comments, SPU confirmed hydrants were being tested.
That photo was sent Sunday by PM of Highland Park, one of several readers who’ve pointed out that the new Westcrest Park play equipment looks almost ready to go, though it’s still fenced off. We checked in with Seattle Parks today about its official status; spokesperson Karen O’Connor replied, “The contractor is ahead of schedule on this project. We anticipate opening sometime in the next two weeks after all final inspections are completed.” The same contractor is also working on the Lincoln Park South Play Area, so we’re asking where that’s at. Both play areas had been closed for years because of safety concerns before the replacement projects finally got going this year.
When we saw West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) branch executive Cleveland King at last week’s Fauntleroy Community Association annual membership meeting, he told us they’re getting close to a plan for expanding hours at the Fauntleroy Y – a request by many members after news first broke of the location’s possible closure. But as Y leaders said at the January “town hall,” they need community help to ensure its future. Tomorrow is your next chance to pitch in:
A reader just sent that photo of a flyer with the updated times for tomorrow’s gathering of everyone who can help, even if you didn’t get to the lightly attended first meeting. The committees were originally announced as focusing on fundraising, planning, and volunteering.
(Photo sent by Andreea)
Readers have been asking about the status of the new restaurant moving into the ex-Pegasus space at 2768 Alki Avenue SW, now that signage is up. Lotus on the Beach is hoping to open in a week or so – but that depends on the results of inspections this week, they tell us. The new restaurant is opening with the same ownership as Alki Phở & Bar, which opened almost two years ago just a few doors west. They described what they plan to offer at Lotus on the Beach as “a hybrid of traditional and Asian fusion inspired dishes. Some Vietnamese, Thai, and Chinese inspired traditional dishes, and hopefully Korean and Japanese in the future. We also would like to emphasize our own original craft cocktails, as well as our take on some classics.” They’ve been remodeling the interior, too – you can get a sneak peek here.
West Seattle High School students are getting ready to open its spring production, “Mean Girls: The Musical” with three performances this week and three more next week. And community businesses are hosting fundraisers in the two nights before opening night. First, here’s the announcement about the production:
(Photo courtesy Westside Drama)
As Cady (Elena Smith) gets ready to take down the group’s apex predator Regina George (Olivia Walum), she’s faced with wild challenges from friends and foes. With the help of her outcast friends Janis (Lucy Warren) and Damian (Mason Nguyen), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating The Plastics (Ava Gem Anderson, Fiona Armstrong) and the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
We invite you to join us for a wacky, irreverent (and at times inappropriate for very young audience members) journey into the modern American high-school social landscape. Like the movie, this musical is rated PG-13 for language, sexual references and general teenage romantic themes.
The Westside Drama program was created in 2003 with their first production, “Grease.” Since then the program has grown to include three shows per year: a fall drama play, a winter student-directed production, and a spring musical. Recent productions include “The Laramie Project,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Almost Maine.” To date, the WSHS Drama program has staged more than 50 shows and counting.
The program strives to produce high-quality, technically complex, artistically relevant shows, never forgetting the goals of educational theater: to give students opportunities to build self-confidence, develop their teamwork skills, learn responsibility and accountability, and, ultimately, explore the human condition – all while working towards a common goal with their classmates. On stage or backstage, important skills are learned every time a show is produced.
This particular production is full of notable talent on stage and off. It features a live band directed by Ethan Thomas, WSHS music director. “Mean Girls” is directed by Joe Lambright, a drama and social studies teacher at West Seattle High School.
“Mean Girls: The Musical” will be presented at 7 pm in the school theater (3000 California SW) Thursday-Saturday this week (March 28-30) and Wednesday-Friday next week (April 3-5). You can buy tickets online by going here. You can also support the production via one or both of these fundraisers this week: Dine out at Circa (2605 California SW) 9 am-10 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, March 26); order a special drink (21+ only) at Corner Pocket (California & Alaska) 6-8 pm Wednesday (April 27).
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here are highlights for the hours ahead, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HOLY WEEK CONTINUES: Our list of services, at churches that have sent us their schedules, is here.
EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR ROXHILL YEARBOOK ADS: Your local business can help your local school – with an ad in the Roxhill Elementary yearbook! The deadline’s been extended to today – details are here.
BABY STORY TIME: Bring wee ones up to 2 years old to Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), noon-12:30 pm, for story time!
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Here’s the agenda. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
TODDLER GYM PLAYTIME: Free indoor drop-in playspace 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center. (9050 16th SW).
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, first-time players too. $5.
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Four places to play tonight – music quiz at 6:30 and 7:30 pm at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASEBALL: One home game on the schedule – Chief Sealth IHS hosts Nathan Hale, 7 pm, Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: All welcome to join free weekly Zen sitting/meditation at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MEDITATION ON ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community welcomes you to Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) for meditation. 7 pm.
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE: 9 pm is the start time for Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar and/or Holiday Guide? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, March 25.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Mostly cloudy, with rain likely, high in the low 50s. Sunrise will be at 7:00 am, sunset at 7:30 pm.
(Sunday sunset at Alki – photo by Jen Popp)
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here. Reminder – the twice-yearly “service change” happens on Saturday (March 30); here’s our breakout of West Seattle changes.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotlinr (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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