West Seattle, Washington
10 Sunday
As we first reported last Monday, Seattle Parks is circulating a “draft racquet-sports strategy” that would split up tennis and pickleball sites, with an initial reduction in the number of outdoor courts for pickleball. It’s launching a round of feedback starting with a survey opening Thursday, and including community meetings. None of those meetings are planned for West Seattle. But this Thursday, the racquet-sports strategy on the agenda for the Alki Community Council meeting, since the courts on the north side of Alki Playfield are involved, proposed as tennis-only. The ACC meets in-person-only at 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) on Thursday (April 16) and the agenda also includes other Parks issues as well as public-safety updates.
Alki Beach Ben & Jerry’s – co-housed with Alki Coffee Co. at 2742 Alki Avenue SW – will offer free ice-cream cones noon-8 pm this Tuesday (April 14). The announcement that six Ben & Jerry’s around the region will participate, including Alki, says it’s a “global tradition of giving away free ice cream to thank fans and celebrate community” and that this year’s giveaway day “will also highlight the region’s strong civic spirit.” In that spirit, the nonprofit, nonpartisan League of Women Voters plans to have reps at Alki to register voters and offer election info. According to the company website, there’s no rules about what flavors they’re giving away – get your favorite.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
More change is on the way for the heart of the Luna Park mini-business district.
Shannon Felix and Jon Felix are looking for new ownership for Avalon Glassworks, which they’ve owned for 23 of its 33 years at 2914 SW Avalon Way.
Their one-of-a-kind business – West Seattle’s only commercial glass-blowing studio and retail shop – is next door to Luna Park Café, which itself changed ownership in 2024 after 35 years.
We talked to the Felixes this afternoon at Avalon Glassworks. Shannon said the decision to sell the business has been a decade in the making. “I’m calling it ‘retiring’ because I don’t have another job or business I’m going to, but” – she said cheerily – “I have a beach house, family in California, a fun dog, a fun husband,” and she feels she’s learned everything she can about art retailing, so it’s time to do something else. Running a small business can be intense, the Felixes know, and for the past decade or so, they’ve been putting things off like visiting family and friends, but now it feels like time to stop deferring, start doing.
They and their landlords – the Bennett family – really want the space to remain a glass-blowing shop, the Felixes say. They’ll be turning it over in good condition, with newer equipment (the sale flyer has specs), and they hope there’s an experienced glass blower who’s ready for their own studio/shop, “somebody with the likelihood of succeeding,” out there.
But they say that won’t be their chief glass-blower Sean Welch, who’s worked for Avalon Glassworks for 20 years – he wants to keep creating blown-glass art, not run a shop, they explain.
But he’s “certainly one of the secrets to our success,” and they count their landlords as another. We asked about highlights of their 23 years; Shannon says she’s “enjoyed coming in every day (and) making new things every day … It’s hard to leave something I love, but I know there are other things [out there] I’m going to love too.”
Ideally, they’d love to be able to turn over the shop by “early summer.” Contact Shannon through the shop to find out more (including getting the entire flyer), or stop by during Avalon Glassworks’s business hours.
Alki’s beach-volleyball courts were in low-key use when Bob Burns took that photo a little over a week ago, but later this week, that will change: The University of Washington beach-volleyball team will host the Alki Beach Invitational next Friday and Saturday. According to the online schedule, participating schools include Portland, Florida Atlantic, Oregon, and Boise State, which hosted the tournament in which the Huskies played this weekend.
The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW) is hosting community events again, and this Wednesday it will be the meeting site for a community coalition that used to meet there regularly, the Morgan Community Association. MoCA meets quarterly and has rotated through various sites, as well as gathering online, in recent years. At 7 pm Wednesday (April 15), it’ll be a hybrid meeting, with a variety of highlights and updates, including officer elections, public-safety info, and the latest on the Morgan Junction Park addition. See the agenda in our calendar listing, which includes the online link if you can’t attend in person.
(WSB photo)
Today is the second and final day of this donation dropoff at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) to support farmworkers:
Community Garden Donation Drive
Join C&P Coffee Company, WashMasks Mutual Aid, Nuestra Casa, & rural organizers in supporting food access in the Lower Yakima Valley by donating plant starts or tools to their community garden.
Requested plant starts: jalapeño, tomato, pinto beans, bush beans, cucumber, corn, strawberry, basil, thyme, rosemary, epazote, hierbabuena (peppermint), cilantro, lavender, sunflowers, nasturtium, chamomile, marigold
Requested tools & supplies: soil, compost, wheelbarrow, large pots, garden gloves for youth & adults, extra long hose, a bistro table set, or gardening tools
Donations can be dropped off at the coffeehouse until 1 pm today. The chair in our photo is next to the table at the back patio where you’ll find the volunteers.
(Great Blue Heron seen at Seacrest this week by WSB contributor Anne Higuera)
Some weekly events, some special events in our lineup for your Sunday, mostly from our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SUNDAY FUNDAY RUNDAY: The Westies Run Club is meeting at Highland Park Corner Store at 9 am today for a today’s Sunday Funday run. (7789 Highland Park Way SW)
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: In The Junction, weekly Sunday morning games are happening at the new location of The Missing Piece (4707 California SW), 9:30 am.
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER’S 16TH ANNIVERSARY: 10 am HOKA demo run/walk kicks off today’s celebration – treats afterward! (2743 California SW)
DONATION DRIVE FOR FARMWORKERS: Plant starts, tools, supplies needed for community garden – dropoff donation drive 10 am-1 pm again today at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Open today and every Sunday year-round on California SW between Oregon and Alaska, 10 am-2 pm, now in early spring produce-and-products season – roots, greens, microgreens, peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, beans, garlic, apples, more – and an abundant selection of baked goods, cheeses, meats, fish, fresh- and pre-prepared foods, nuts, condiments, pasta …
WEEKEND SINGALONG BRUNCH: 10 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), sing to hits of the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s and enjoy a buffet breakfast.
FREE NIA CLASS: Begins at 10:15 am; first class free if you pre-register. At Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary. (3618 SW Alaska)
PLAY DATE AND OPEN HOUSE: Bring your up-to-5-year-old to Little Trailblazers (3003 SW Roxbury), 10:30 am-noon.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need a tool but don’t need/want to, or can’t, buy it? You’ll probably be able to find it at, and borrow it from, the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE TAX HELP: 11 am-4 pm at Southwest Library, registration required – check for openings before going. (9010 35th SW)
WEST SEATTLE RESIST: Regular weekly West Seattle Resist Sunday sign-holding event, 11:30 am-1:30 pm. South of Farmers’ Market. (California SW and SW Alaska)
CELEBRATE POETRY! Write some at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 1-4 pm.
WELCOME ROAD WINERY: You’re invited to hang out this afternoon at this West Seattle tasting room (with a patio!) open 2-5 pm, kids and dogs welcome. (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor)
MODERN CLASSIC BOOK CLUB: This month’s gathering is at 3 pm at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW), discussing “Ravelstein” by Saul Bellow.
FIRST MATINEE OF ‘WALDEN’: ArtsWest‘s new play has a 3 pm curtain today – get ticket(s) here. (4711 California SW)
ARTIST RECEPTION: Susan Clifford‘s new work at Bakery Nouveau (4737 California S), 3:30-5 pm opening reception.
TRIVIA AT MR. B’S: 5 pm, new art-trivia at Mr. B’s Mead Center with host Morgue Anne (9444 Delridge Way SW).
LIVE AT TIM’S: 7 pm Sunday night all-ages show at Tim’s Tavern – jazz singers in Dave Desrochers’ All-Star Jazz Bonanza Extravaganza. (16th SW & SW 98th, White Center)
BLACK TEA AT REVELRY ROOM: 7 pm-midnight late-night tea service with host Jack Sanders, info and RSVP here. (4547 California SW)
UNDERGROUND TRIVIA AT CORNER POCKET: Trivia starts at 7:30 pm – free to play, and you can win prizes! (4302 SW Alaska)
LIVE JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: 8-10 pm jazz, with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW).
Organizing, or helping with, an event that we could add to the WSB community calendar – whether one-time or recurring? Please email the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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