West Seattle, Washington
02 Tuesday
Police are investigating confirmed gunfire in the Alki area. After 911 calls, they went to look for gunfire evidence, and found casings at 59th/Alki a short time ago. No reports of injuries or property damage so far.
11:14 PM: Avoid Delridge/Trenton – a crash is reported to be blocking the intersection and police have just told dispatch that “one of the parties involved” is getting CPR, but at this early stage they’re “not sure if he was a pedestrian or in a vehicle.”
11:30 PM: Thanks to Corey for the photos. Toward the center of the photo above you can see that one driver went through a fence. We haven’t heard anything further about the status of the person initially reported to be getting CPR.
12:28 AM: Police have just described this over the radio as a suspected case of DUI. Meantime, they’re waiting for an SDOT cleanup crew. whose work will enable the intersection to reopen. And we have an inquiry out to SFD regarding injuries.
1:01 AM: Officers have just told dispatch that the intersection has reopened.
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: SFD says two people were treated, neither with life-threatening injuries:
-40-year-old male who was in stable condition. He was transported to Harborview via AMR.
-50-year-old female in stable condition. She was transported to a hospital via AMR.
Deb Achak is a West Seattle-based fine-art photographer. After living in various neighborhoods around the peninsula for almost two decades, in 2013 she and her husband bought and renovated the former Villa Heidelberg B&B along Erskine Way, where they now reside with their two sons, and where she works from her home photography studio. Last year Deb had her first solo fine-art photography exhibition in New York City, and also oversaw the publication of a new monograph: “All The Colors That I Am Inside.” West Seattle Blog senior contributor Christopher Boffoli recently sat down with Deb – who was fresh from travels in the Himalayas, where she was shooting her next project – to talk about how she came to photography, her connection to West Seattle, and the power of intuition.
(All images courtesy Deb Achak Photography)
By Christopher Boffoli
West Seattle Blog senior contributor
Deb Achak didn’t nurture childhood dreams of becoming a visual artist. She didn’t employ Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000-hour rule” in pursuit of a life with a camera in her hands. In fact, you wouldn’t know from looking at the stunning, painterly fine-art images that she produces, that she came to photography fairly late in life, in what she has characterized as a “sudden and demanding compulsion.”
As someone who actually did start young, who has spent decades working at photography, and who still frequently fails at it, it’s hard to not be a bit envious. After all, we photographers can be a competitive lot. Observing Deb’s work often feels like eavesdropping on a conversation of someone particularly eloquent and perceptive. While photography may not have been in her early plans, some of the experiences of her childhood would inform the creative work that would come.
As a girl growing up in Amherst, New Hampshire, a creative career was the furthest thing from her mind. Neither of her parents were exceptionally creative. Both worked long hours supporting the family. There simply wasn’t anyone in her world who provided a blueprint for a career in the arts. Sometimes, though, life has a subtle way of illuminating things that we will circle back on later, even if we’re not initially conscious of it: like acorns that rain down around us, never knowing which ones will find purchase, seek out rays of sun, and later send up green shoots.
“My mother was a crafter. She was a quilter, “ says Deb. “She sewed clothes for us, did needlepoint, made stained glass. But we didn’t think of her as an artist. She worked as an HR director and she did these things at home.” Deb saw these endeavors as hobbies, apart from work life. “I figured you’d always have creative hobbies and then you’d have a real job.”
Deb’s childhood summers were a time of light. New Hampshire isn’t really known for its coastline, all 15 miles of it (18 miles by the most generous estimates). The state’s limited seashore is underwhelming as beaches go. But in the eyes of a child, it might as well have been the French Riviera. Like a lot of blue-collar families in the area, Deb’s spent time during their summers at Hampton Beach.
It’s perhaps not much different now than it was in the ’80s. One might not hear the same “woca-woca-woca” sound of Pac-Man spilling out of the arcades, but across the narrow ribbon of beach, and beyond the gray asphalt perpetually jammed with cars, you’re likely to find the same clam shacks and fried dough stands, T-shirt and souvenir shops, salt-water taffy vendors and people playing Skee-Ball. “We didn’t go to fancy beaches. That’s how we grew up. We didn’t have money.” Deb says that she mostly remembered it as “crowds of people relaxed and at ease, enjoying the ocean.” For what it lacked in luxury, it more than made up in sensory stimulation.
Later she would major in English at the University of New Hampshire, with an minor in studio art. But she claims the latter was more of a casual interest and never something that she imagined as a vocation. “I didn’t have any example of working artists. It wasn’t even on my radar.”
Like many who finished college at the end of the (first) Bush administration, a deep recession made for a challenging job market. Despite working multiple jobs, Deb just found she wasn’t surviving. “So I saved every penny and moved to the West Coast because a friend had moved here.”
Seeking adventure – and hopefully employment – Deb moved to Seattle in 1992. That version of the city would look largely unfamiliar to those moving here now. At the time, though, it seemed to suddenly be on the cultural radar of the world, in the midst of the white-hot success of the grunge music genre. Around this time, Starbucks had its IPO with around 165 total locations. AIDS deaths were still on the rise and Amazon was just a river in South America. Microsoft Windows was on its third version. “Sleepless in Seattle” was filming in town and Cameron Crowe‘s film “Singles” was screening in theaters. The Kingdome was still the city’s main sports and entertainment venue.
Deb couch-surfed with a friend for a while as she scrambled to work multiple jobs including waiting tables, staffing a catering company, and taking on cleaning jobs. At the same time she was diligent about sending out resumes and watching for openings. At length she found more promising prospects in a listing at Harborview, counseling victims at what was then called the sexual-assault center. She soondiscovered that she had a facility for the work, and found it fulfilling. This led her to similar work as a patient-care coordinator at a clinic at the University of Washington, where she liaised with physicians and nurses, helping with coordination between the medical side and law enforcement in pursuing sexual-assault cases. For a while she considered careers in law, or medicine, or mental health. But ultimately she chose social work, pursuing a master’s degree at UW.
Around the same time that she started working on her master’s, she met Ramin, the man who would become her husband. By the end of the ’90s, they decided it was time to buy a house, which led them to West Seattle. Over the next fifteen years they lived in several neighborhoods on the peninsula, during which time they became parents. Looking for something more spacious, they fell in love with the former Villa Heidelberg, which they bought (in 2013) and then spent years meticulously renovating. The exquisite result of that project has been featured in design magazines.
Deb’s transition from a challenging, if fulfilling, career in social work, into motherhood, and then into a multi-year house renovation project, progressively led her to picking up a camera. At first, she says, it was – like it is for a lot of parents – about documenting the childhood of her small children. But as much as she found cameraphones to be convenient, she quickly found herself chafing against the limits of the technology. “I just wanted something better to shoot with,” she says. After her husband gave her a compact Canon DSLR as a gift, her interest was supercharged. “I went everywhere with that camera. I really fell down the rabbit hole. I read the manual and taught myself everything that I possibly could.” Deb says that she set up an account on Flickr, which was very popular around that time, taught herself editing software, and joined every photo club she could find.
Soon after discovering this passion, Deb had an instinct to do something with a package of delicate optics and electronics that maybe wouldn’t be so intuitive to most: she wanted to submerge it in seawater. That risky decision fortunately would not end in disaster. In fact, it became the genesis of her first official series of elevated fine-art images.
This Thursday, Hotwire Coffee (4410 California SW) celebrates its 23rd anniversary, and as is often the case with business anniversaries, customers get the gift(s). Hotwire will offer 23 percent off everything on its menu that day, and plans to serve a limited-edition “23 Latte” to celebrate (with touches of brown sugar, Madagascar vanilla, and cinnamon). Proprietor Jeffrey Silva says the shop will be open 6:30 am to 5 pm that day (September 4).
(WSB photo, 2023 flag ceremony @ Alki Lodge)
Our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar includes several special events for tomorrow, including Alki Masonic Lodge‘s annual flag-retirement ceremony, with two bonus community invitations: They’ll be grilling free hamburgers and hot dogs starting at noon – you’re welcome (but not required) to bring a side or dessert for the potluck picnic – and around 1 pm, they’re expecting a visit from local firefighters: “This year we are partnering with the Seattle Fire Department to have firefighters available to show off their trucks and emergency equipment. We are hoping to get the word out to parents who would like their children to get a close look at fire trucks. SFD is scheduling their visit in our parking lot at 1:00 p.m. and expects to be there for about 30 minutes.” Alki Lodge is in The Junction, on the northeast corner of 40th SW/SW Edmunds.
Back to school means back to sports for many – and West Seattle Baseball has two programs it’s pitching with this announcement:
Two opportunities to play baseball this fall!
Fall Ball is West Seattle Baseball’s instructional league for the fall season, combining seasonal drills, stations, and opportunities for kids to advance their skills, build their confidence, and enjoy the game of baseball.
Fall Ball will be divided into three primary divisions: Pinto (8 & Under), Mustang (10 & Under), and Bronco (12 & Under). Tuesdays will be instructional days, building skills, and Fridays will be game-playing days, featuring sandlot baseball.
The season will run from September 9 through October 17. The cost to play is $125.
Sign-up link: go.teamsnap.com/forms/494738
Also:
Coach Ballgame is back at the Pee Wees on September 6 from 5-8 PM!
Coach Ballgame is back at the Pee Wee Fields on Saturday, 9/6! Don’t miss out on one of the best baseball training programs out there. Coach Ballgame and his team lead small, quick drills to build skills for kids to learn the game of baseball. He teaches the games of baseball through stories like Jim Abbott, Roberto Clemente, and more.
Sign-up link: hisawyer.com/coach-ballgame/schedules/activity-set/1365015
The Pee Wee Fields are in Riverview – here’s a map.
When Il Nido, the restaurant at the landmark Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge, announced they had to close temporarily for emergency repairs, the proprietors said they hoped to reopen Tuesday, September 2 – and they’re announcing today that it will indeed happen on schedule:
Il Nido is happy to announce that we’ll be re-opening for dinner service on Tuesday, September 2nd at 4 pm! We have completed our repairs and are now in the process of getting the space back in order and preparing to welcome our guests once again. Although this interruption was unexpected, our staff and community came together to help us overcome this challenge.
The outpouring of support from our guest community was nothing short of remarkable. For example, when we announced our closure, so many of you immediately reached out to buy gift cards. Your generosity truly made our reopening possible and touched us deeply.
We want to give special thanks to:
· Our faithful guests for their incredible support during our closure, especially those who purchased gift cards, sent us supportive messages, or stopped by to see us in person.
· The West Seattle Community for rallying behind us and reminding us what it means to be part of something bigger. West Seattle … Best Seattle!
· Petr and his crew who rebuilt our floor.
· The entire Il Nido staff, ‘The Crows’.
· Our Fir Lodge owners: Matt Schilling and the Schilling Family.
· Scott Grigg for helping me paint parking stripes and varnishing tables.
· Eddia A. from Bee’s Plumbing.
· Bill from AutoChlore.
· Rich Barrientos & Travis Chikamura from Electrical Systems Solutions.We truly cannot wait to welcome everyone back for dinner — you are the heart of Il Nido, and we are deeply grateful for each of you.
Cameron Williams & Chef Katie Gallego
Owners & Partners
Il Nido Restaurant
If you’re relatively new to West Seattle, you might not know about the Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge’s extensive history, including the years of uncertainty over whether it could be saved and restored following a catastrophic fire that closed it for a decade – our coverage is archived here (newest to oldest).
11:16 AM: It’s that time of summer where growers have so much zucchini, you can run out of ideas for using it. Zucchini bread, roasted zucchini, sauteed zucchini … but that’s not all. Once a year, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market offers free zucchini and accessories to marketgoers so they can make and race “vegetable vehicles.” That’s happening at the south end of the market (California/Alaska) right now, until 1 pm, as explained in our preview! Big turnout.
1:22 PM: Adding photos by Dave Gershgorn for WSB:
A wide variety of zucchini racers took to the track – after Kiwanis Club of West Seattle volunteers helped with assembly:
Lots of options to contemplate:
Once they were ready to race, it was on to the track:
Notice the jumbo zucchini in the lower right of the photo above? 3 1/2-year-old Colette Steadman brought that from home, where she and her family grew it from seeds provided by the West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) Growing Gardeners’ Club (explained in our preview):
Homegrown or not, every zucchini racer was a winner today.
Family and friends of former longtime West Seattleite Jason Grube will gather next Saturday (September 6) tp remember him and celebrate his life. Here’s the remembrance and invitation, they’re sharing:
On Monday, August 4th, we lost Jason Grube.
He was a devoted husband to Shannon, and a loving father to Monty (17), Wolfy (14), and Everest (9). He died in a sudden and tragic bicycle accident at just 48 years old.
Jason was so many things to so many people. He was kind. He was loving. He was creative. And he was generous. He was also wise. And funny. He was curious and he was spiritual, embracing beauty and possibility. He was all of these things and more. But to those who knew him best, he is simply irreplaceable.
A recent journal entry from Jason included the following quote: “Every candle is lit by another flame.” He was so often the other flame, bringing light to our lives, right when we needed it the most.
Now, this is our turn to return the light and the love we have been given. We are raising funds to support Shannon and the boys. Your donations will help cover funeral expenses, household needs, and provide stability as they adjust to life without Jason’s steady presence. Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your memories. Thank you for sharing.
Jason Grube’s memorial service and celebration of life (after party) will be held on September 6, 2025, just north of Seattle.
Memorial Service:
2 pm at Branches Church
18350 NE Woodinville Duvall Pl, WoodinvilleCelebration of Life:
4pm at Story Cellars Winery
19501 144th Ave NE STE A500, WoodinvilleIf you knew and loved Jason, you are welcome to join us. The plan is to share lots of memories. If you can’t make it, there will be a livestream of the memorial service with details to follow.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
10:02 AM: Holiday-weekend whale visit! Kersti Muul just told us the T137s – transient killer whales – are in Elliott Bay, by Pier 70, so in binoculars-enhanced range, but let us know if you see them closer in!
1:53 PM: Thanks to James Tilley for the photos, taken when the orcas were in view off Constellation Park south of Alki Point.
(Photo by Stan Delles)
Good morning – here’s what’s up for the second day of Labor Day weekend, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
GARAGE/YARD SALES: See today’s listings in the WSB Community Forums. (If you have a sale to add, but don’t have a WSB Forums login, go to westseattleblog/log-in – thanks!)
ART ON THE CORNER: Local artist Bonnie is selling her work again all three days this weekend to raise money for the West Seattle Food Bank, 8 am-4 pm. (39th SW/SW Holden)
WESTIES RUN CLUB: This week’s 9 am Sunday Funday run leaves from Dough Joy Donuts (4310 SW Oregon).
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: Meet up with other players – all levels – 9:30-11:30 am at The Missing Piece. (35th/Roxbury)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Find the market on California between Oregon and Alaska, 10 am-2 pm, still the heart of summer produce season (stone fruit, berries, cherries, greens, roots), plus lots of baked goods, cheeses, meats, fish, prepared foods, condiments, flowers, more.
… PLUS ZUCCHINI RACING! Also at the market today, 11 am-1 pm (at the south end), it’s the fun annual event to make and race “vegetable vehicles,” with support from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle and West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor), as detailed in our preview.
MASTER GARDENERS: They’re at the market today, also 10 am-2 pm, if you have a garden question/challenge/etc. that would benefit from expert advice.
DOCKTON ART WALK: Neighbors on Vashon/Maury Islands invite you to ferry over to visit artists in historic Dockton, 10 am-5 pm.
MONTHLY GRIEF CIRCLE: Whatever you’re grieving, this event promises support, 10:30 am at Nurture Wellbeing (6307 California SW) – registration info’s in our calendar listing.
FREE NIA CLASS: 10:30 am, first class free if you pre-register. At Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska)
SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open, 11 am-8 pm, second-to-last day of the season.
ART GARDEN OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-2 pm, you’re invited to drop in to this new creative space. (4316 SW Othello)
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need a tool but don’t need to, or can’t, buy it? You’ll probably be able to borrow it from the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE RESISTS: Sunday signholding in The Junction (California/Alaska), 11:30 am-1:30 pm.
COLMAN POOL OPEN: The heated salt-water outdoor pool at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open today noon-7 pm, with four hour-and-a-half swim sessions, each half lap swimming and half open swim – see the schedule here.
WADING POOL OPEN: Also at Lincoln Park,the wading pool is open, second-to-last day of the season, noon-7 pm.
NO ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: One last reminder, tours ended early this year (as explained here).
WELCOME ROAD WINERY: Kick back and enjoy your Sunday afternoon at this West Seattle tasting room (with a patio!) open 2-5 pm, kids and dogs welcome. (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor)
MUSIC BENEFIT AT TIM’S: 2-10 pm, Good Neighbours Festival with eight bands raising money for two nonprofits. (16th SW/SW 98th, White Center)
MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Singer-songwriter Jim Page, 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
LISTENING PARTY AT EASY STREET: 3 pm, featuring music by Sabrina Carpenter. Free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
LOWMAN BEACH BENEFIT: 5-9 pm, live music and BBQ at Lowman Beach, to benefit Gaza relief. (7017 Beach Drive SW)
FREE COMMUNITY MEAL: 5:30-6:30 pm at Bethany West Seattle (8600 9th SW), all welcome.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: 8-10 pm, Sunday night music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW).
Are you planning, organizing, and/or publicizing something that we could feature on the WSB community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Though it’s called the Boeing Employees Choir, you don’t have to have any affiliation with Boeing in order to join it, so they’re sending out a call for singers as open rehearsals approach. Here’s the announcement:
Singers Wanted!
Gershwin? Brahms? Whitacre? If you love to sing or want to discover your talent, we invite you to join the Boeing Employees Choir (open to all), performing everything from Bach to Broadway.
Open Rehearsals
Starting September 9, 2025
Tuesdays @ 7 PM
Tibbetts United Methodist Church
3940 41st Ave SW, West SeattleFor more info: www.boeingchoir.org
Please let us know by email if you are coming!
Email: president@boeingchoir.org
(Rendering of what the finished project is supposed to look like, from 2021 SPU document)
Along with announcing the upcoming emergency culvert repairs in Fauntleroy, Seattle Public Utilities has announced another project in West Seattle. SPU says work will resume – after almost three years – on a section of its “natural drainage” project near Delridge businesses including The Home Depot and Arco/AM-PM.
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is constructing natural drainage systems (NDS) in the Longfellow Creek Basin to address recurring drainage and flooding issues and provide water quality treatment for street runoff that drains to Longfellow Creek. During construction in 2022, crews encountered unexpected underground conditions and the project at this location was postponed. Construction will resume in mid-September 2025.
LOCATION
Sylvan Way SW between SW Orchard St and Delridge Way SW (near the Home Depot Store)SCHEDULE & HOURS
• Mid-September to end of 2025
• Monday through Friday, 7 am to 5 pmANTICIPATED IMPACTS
• Noise, dust, and vibrations typical of a construction site
• Full lane closure of Sylvan Way SW between SW Orchard St and Delridge Way SW, and parking restrictions near the work area
• Materials and equipment staged near construction activities
• Access to private property and businesses may be temporarily impacted
• Eastbound King County Metro bus stop may be temporarily impacted or relocated
• Pedestrian detours will be in place
Here’s the full construction-notice one-sheet (PDF).
One day every year, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market celebrates one of the season’s most bountiful harvests by offering zucchini racing – young marketgoers get free zucchini and components to turn them into “vegetable vehicles” which they can then send rolling down a short race course (our video above shows a round of last year’s racing). Tomorrow (Sunday, August 31) is the big day, 11 am-1 pm. Look for the booth at the south end of the market, with volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle there to assist, as well as West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor). Marie from WSN tells us that their Growing Gardeners Club for kids gave members containers with soil and zucchini seeds back in March, in hopes some might grow their own to use in Sunday’s races. Then, earlier this month, members got “little race car kits with a set of wheels and stickers they can use to decorate their racers, and information about the Farmers Market races so they can participate.” A WSN rep will be there tomorrow to see if any members show up to race, and to provide club info to prospective new members. Again, this is 11 am-1 pm tomorrow, during the regular 10 am-2 pm market on California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska.
(Reader photo)
2:08 PM: Thanks for the tip and photo. Northbound California Avenue SW is blocked in the 6900 block right now, just south of Morgan Junction, after a multi-car crash. No one hurt, according to our tipster, but avoid the area for a while. The tipster reports, “Driver heading south swerved or lost control somehow and drove into a car heading northbound as well as a parked car.”
2:37 PM: Police are on scene now; our tipster reports the northbound lane is still blocked.
3:37 PM: Our tipster says both lanes are open now.
By the tie we visited Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) this afternoon, founder/proprietor Frank Gross already had been dunked about 20 times as part of a soggy sideline during their one-day holiday-weekend sale and West Seattle Food Bank benefit. Appropriately enough, the guy who dunked Frank in our video was Rob from Gretsch Guitars, which donated this Gretsch ’57 Duo Jet guitar for another highlight of sale day, a raffle:
Frank is looking forward to more dunking – he insists it’s “refreshing” every time – with the dunkers so far even including his own kids, who he reports were extra-enthusiastic about dunking Dad. One way to get your turn is to bring nonperishable food for this West Seattle Food Bank bin in the shop:
Even better, buy a guitar, pedal, or amplifier – not only do you get three shots at dunking Frank, you’ll also be helping WSFB, because he’s donating 10 percent of sale-day proceeds. The tank is behind the store, and Frank notes that the dunking idea came from a staff member, adding that it wasn’t as hard to find a dunk tank as you might think – they found a rental business that deals in “unusual things” and they just happened to have one. This is all set to continue until 6 pm.
Thanks for the tips. Here’s what the big police response that blocked 35th at Andover for a while about half an hour ago was about, according to emergency-radio archives: A car stolen somewhere in the East Precinct’s C sector area, possibly in a carjacking, was tracked to the westbound West Seattle Bridge and then to West Seattle. Southwest Precinct police found it and initially didn’t know if anyone was inside, so they approached with guns drawn. They eventually confirmed the car, described as a silver Hyundai Accent, had no one inside. No description(s) of whoever left it there but the car was last seen at the original crime scene being driven away by a “white male with a short buzz cut.”
(Friday night sunset, photographed by Jan Pendergrass)
Some regular Saturday events are skipping this weekend because so many people leave town for the holiday, but as far as we know, here’s what IS happening, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
GARAGE/YARD SALES: See this weekend’s listings in the WSB Community Forums. (If you have a sale to add, but don’t have a login for that section, go to westseattleblog/log-in – thanks!)
ART ON THE CORNER: Local artist is selling her work again this weekend to raise money for the West Seattle Food Bank, 8 am-4 pm. (39th SW/SW Holden)
SATURDAY GROUP RUN: West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) leads Saturday 8 am free group runs!
HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free 9 am outdoor meditation at Schmitz Preserve Park (5551 SW Admiral Way) – register here.
INTRODUCTORY WALK: First of two sequential weekly walking events – meeting at the same spot, 47th/Fauntleroy, first at 9:30 am for a flat-terrain 1-mile walk.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: That’s followed immediately by this 10 am walk, which you can join even if you didn’t go on the introductory walk. Meet at 47th/Fauntleroy.
SSC GARDEN CENTER: The Garden Center at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW, north end of campus), is open 10 am-3 pm.
DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET: Open 10 am-2 pm, Saturdays through October, in and around the courtyard at Hope Academy in South Delridge (9421 18th SW). Fresh produce, cooked-on-site food, body-care products, more!
MASTER GARDENERS: Have a garden-related question? They likely have the answer! Second to last Saturday that they’ll be at The Home Depot (7345 Delridge Way SW), 10 am-2 pm.
DOCKTON ART WALK: Neighbors on Vashon/Maury Islands invite you to ferry over today and/or tomorrow to visit artists in historic Dockton, 10 am-5 pm.
MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am – free weekly in-person group for writers of all levels. For location info, go here.
BENEFIT BARBECUE: “Dog Days of Summer” at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor), 11 am-3 pm fresh-grilled lunch available to benefit pet-assisting nonprofit.
WEST SEATTLE’S ONLY SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open for its last Saturday of the year, 11 am-8 pm.
FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW)
‘DUNK FRANK IN THE TANK’ SALE & WSFB BENEFIT: Noon-6 pm, big event at Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) as we’ve been previewing – it’s not only a big sale with one-day deals, it’s also a fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank – TRG is donating 10 percent of sales – AND a chance to see TRG founder/proprietor Frank Gross get dunked in a tank: Get three chances when you show up with nonperishable food for WSFB and/or make a purchase, as previewed here.
WADING POOL: The one city-run wading pool scheduled to be open in West Seattle today is Lincoln Park, 12 pm-7 pm (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, near north parking lot).
COLMAN POOL: 12-7 pm swim sessions at Lincoln Park‘s heated saltwater pool (on the shore, 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW).
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM CLOSED: No Saturday hours this weekend.
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open for you to enjoy wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM, WINE BAR, STORE: On the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus:
The Northwest Wine Academy Tasting Room, Wine Bar, and Retail Store are open Thursday-Saturday from 1-6 pm. Come taste and purchase our student-produced wine! The Northwest Wine Academy features a large tasting room and retail store. While tasting one of our current releases, you can request a tour of our barrel room and bottling area.
SALSA & BACHATA ON ALKI: Tonight’s edition of the big dance event starts with a lesson at 4:30 pm.
MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: West Seattle’s own Acoustic Crisis, 6-8 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)
LAST WEEKEND FOR ALKI BEACH FIRES: Reminder that beach-fire season ends Labor Day, so this is the last weekend the fire rings will be open at Alki.
KENYON HALL CABARET AT THE SKYLARK: 8 pm (doors at 7), Kenyon Hall Cabaret drag show. All ages. $15 advance/$20 door. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
REVELRY ROOM DJ: Saturday spinning starts at 9 pm – tonight it’s DJ King Coko at Revelry Room. (4547 California SW).
SATURDAY NIGHT SK8 PARTY: 9 pm-midnight, with rotating DJ Josh and DJ NightMere, 21+, at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW, White Center).
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Our Saturday list concludes with 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)
Got a West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Thanks to the readers who tipped us about that new “LEASED” sign in The Junction (including the person who sent the photo). Permit filings indicate Dave’s Hot Chicken, an international chain with one Seattle location so far, seeks to add its second in the heart of “downtown West Seattle.” According to permit records with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, a new Dave’s restaurant is intended for part of the former Haymaker Restaurant space at 4706 California Ave SW. The Haymaker closed in May of 2024 after five years in business. Preliminary permit records show the space would be divided between Dave’s and another tenant. (This industry-publication article notes they try to limit their restaurants’ size.)
The menu is focused around fried chicken tenders with varying levels of spice, along with sides and shakes. The Seattle location, on Capitol Hill at 12th and Pike, is owned by the Keshap Group, a California-based franchisee listed on the Junction documentation too. The group had already announced plans for new locations this year in Redmond and Tacoma, with others in Puyallup and Federal Way next year, but hopes for a West Seattle location had not been previously announced.
Dave’s Hot Chicken was started by four friends as a street food vendor in the Los Angeles area in 2017. Celebrity investments followed a few years later; a majority share of the company was sold to a private-equity firm this past June. Dave’s has more than 300 franchise locations, mostly in the US, with some in Canada and Dubai.
(September 2024 WSB photo)
Next weekend, high-school football season kicks off. West Seattle High School is scheduled to play its first game on the road, 5 pm Saturday, September 6, in Yakima vs. La Salle HS. Even before the season begins, head coach Anthony Stordahl tells WSB, the year’s biggest fundraiser in support of his team is off and running. It’s an online fundraising campaign, and the coach explains, “This is the only fundraiser we will do this year to raise the money needed to have a successful season. The money goes toward equipment, travel expenses, nutrition for players, and a lot more.” They’re hoping to have a few dine-out fundraisers too, but the online donations will comprise the lion’s share of the Wildcats’ fundraising. Their first home game is the annual Huling Bowl crosstown faceoff with Chief Sealth IHS, 7 pm Friday, September 19 (see the full season schedule here). Meantime, donations will be welcomed here.
Thanks for the tip. One week after SDOT told us they expected to reopen Fairmount Avenue beneath the Admiral Way Bridge before the holiday weekend – marking the completion of most work on the project to strengthen and preserve the bridge – they’ve done just that. Above are the SDOT “before and after” photos from beneath the bridge. The project page goes into details of what they’ve done during the construction closure. Fairmount has been closed to all traffic – including bicyclists, walkers, and runners – since July of last year. The topside was originally scheduled to have some full closures during the project, but SDOT found a way to avoid that.
Multiple readers have asked about that big drill rig that’s appeared between ActivSpace and West Coast Self-Storage toward the south end of Harbor Avenue SW. A map check showed it’s parked on property belonging to West Coast Self-Storage (3252 Harbor Ave SW), so we checked in with WCSS’s manager Crystal this afternoon. She said the equipment is there as part of the work of completing their facility, which has been built in phases. She said the final phase includes one more building. The construction permit filed with the city shows the building at a new address, 3300 Harbor Ave SW, and having 3 stories with a mix of parking and storage, but does not have a count on the number of self-storage units. The storage facility on the site to the north has 852 units. Crystal told WSB there shouldn’t be any traffic impacts during construction aside from trucks entering and leaving the property. West Coast Self Storage has been open at the Harbor Avenue location since August of 2020.
(WSB file photo, Clothesline’s current location)
Got 2,000 spare square feet? You might be able to help save our area’s free community clothing bank The Clothesline, whose search for a new home is now urgent. Here’s the announcement:
The West Seattle Food Bank today announced that The Clothesline, its free community clothing bank, must find new space by the end of 2025 due to the sale of its current host property. The program is urgently seeking a 2,000 sq ft space within five miles of the food bank to continue serving local families with dignity and choice.
“The Clothesline is a simple idea with a profound impact – dignity. It gives people the chance to choose clothing that fits their lives, their needs and their style — the same way any of us would want to shop,” said Fran Yeatts, Executive Director of the West Seattle Food Bank. “That dignity is what makes this program so powerful and why finding it a new home is so urgent. Last year alone, the community donated enough clothing for us to provide more than 90,000 items to people of all ages. We’re asking West Seattle landlords, faith and civic leaders, and businesses to help us keep this lifeline open by offering or helping us locate a new space.”
What The Clothesline Does
The Clothesline is free and open to anyone in need, offering a dignified, “shop-for-yourself” experience so people can choose items that truly fit their needs—workwear, school clothes, coats, shoes, baby items, bedding, and more. Inventory is sourced entirely from new and gently used donations from local neighbors and corporate partners.Why a New Home Is Needed
The Clothesline currently operates in leased space owned by a local church that is selling the property. The existing setup includes roughly 1,250 sq ft of display space and 1,250 sq ft of donation-processing workspace, with additional storage and restrooms. Current rent is $3,000/month including utilities.Space Criteria
~2,000 sq ft total (can be split across rooms)
Within 5 miles of West Seattle Food Bank
Near a bus line
Some on-site parking and an easy drop-off area for donations
Wheelchair accessible preferredHow to Help / Who to Contact
Landlords, property managers, congregations, schools, and community partners with suitable space to lease or host (in-kind or reduced rent) are encouraged to reach out:
Contact: Fran Yeatts, Executive Director
Email: fran@westseattlefoodbank.org
Phone: 206-932-5385
The Clothesline has been in its current home for six years. City files show a plan for four single-family houses on at least part of the site.
| 34 COMMENTS