WEST SEATTLE LIONS PANCAKE BREAKFAST AND BAKE SALE: Even if you wake up late, you’ve got time to get to this one – 8 am to 1 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School gym (41st/Genesee, Google Street View above). Menu includes three types of pancakes – buttermilk, “Judy’s Pumpkin Crunch,” gluten-free. Plus ham/sausage, coffee/juice/tea/milk – all for $8 adults, $5 kids 12 and under.
FEEDBACK LOUNGE BAZAAR: 2-6 pm today, shop at the first-ever Holiday Bazaar (well, it’s their first holiday season!) at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) – jewelry, aromatherapy, handbags, more. Wine and cocktail specials too.
LAST FARMERS’ MARKET BEFORE THANKSGIVING: 10 am-2 pm, 44th/Alaska. It’s also your last chance to shop for the big contest – the most Farmers Market-sourced Thanksgiving feast – rules here. Today’s Ripe ‘n’ Ready list is here.
FAUNTLEROY ART SHOW/SALE FINALE: Last chance! 11 am-12:30 pm, Fauntleroy Church (9140 California).
At West Seattle Bowl tonight, the big winner at theBeer Church‘s 11th annual Turkey Bowl bowling benefit was the West Seattle Food Bank – organizers Kendall Jones and Kim Sharpe Jones, above, reported easily double the food donations of last year; the event itself (with co-sponsors including WSB) sold out way in advance, and even had a waiting list! Then, there were the trophy winners in a couple of challenges – Elliott Bay Brewery took the brewers’ trophy – claimed here by proprietor Todd Carden:
And the Pub Challenge trophy went – for the third time – to West 5, announced by Kendall and accepted triumphantly by proprietor Dave Montoure:
Dave also took a moment to pose with Pete Spalding, who’s president of the West Seattle Food Bank‘s board (among many other things):
So what else does the Beer Church do, you ask? Find out at beerchurch.com. And if you didn’t get to the Turkey Bowl to donate food to the WS Food Bank – here’s its holiday schedule – and you can donate $ online. ADDED 2:02 PM: Kendall from Beer Church sent this note out to participants asking them to share with everyone “in their group” – so we’re sharing it with everyone in WSB’land – read on:Read More
(The Kirkpatricks of West Seattle, shuttle riders – photo courtesy Senior Services)
West Seattleite Cindy Zwart, who directs Senior Services‘ Transportation Program, wants to make sure that everybody 55 and up – or younger, if you are disabled – knows about a service that’s been available here since July. She explains:
The Hyde Shuttle is a free door-to-door van service that will transport riders anywhere they need to go within the West Seattle city limits, including medical appointments, shopping, the library, to visit a friend, cultural and social activities, any local errands. The shuttle also provides rides on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to medical facilities on First Hill and on Wednesdays and Thursdays to Burien medical facilities. Riders sign up for service by phone; there is no long application to fill out or in-person eligibility screening. Shuttle hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm, and all rides are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The Shuttle is lift-equipped for people who have difficulty using stairs or use a mobility aid. Service is free, although donations are accepted.
Senior Services’ Transportation Program also has shuttles serving communities from Burien to Shoreline, Beacon Hill to the Snoqualmie Valley. Senior Services’ other programs include Meals on Wheels, Minor Home Repair and one with which you’re bound to be familiar – at least on sight – the Senior Center of West Seattle (in The Junction). Money for the service comes from Metro, Aging and Disability Services, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Puget Sound Regional Council. Want to sign up for the service? 206-727-6262 – same number you call when you need a ride. And if you want to ask Cindy any questions – cindyz@seniorservices.org.
West Seattle Wildcat Seniors (13 and 14 year old) beat the Renton Rangers 12 to 8, at Husky Stadium, to win the South King County Jr. Football league title. Amazing game…the Wildcats came from behind and won the game on the last play with no time left on the clock. It’s only the second year of the program. Way to go, Wildcats!!
This wasn’t just another routine West Seattle Saturday for Marination Mobile, the self-described “Korean-Hawaiian taco truck” that sets up at 35th and Graham in High Point almost every Saturday (11 am-2 pm) – today’s the one-day vote for a national TV contest: MM is up against three other street-food vendors nationwide for Good Morning America’s “Best Food Cart in America” contest. We asked ’em to give us a reason on camera why people should vote for them – MM’s proprietresses insisted the reason come from their cook Drew Airone, because, they said, “he’s more photogenic”:
Not sure exactly how long voting will be open – but you can go here now to cast your vote. The winner is to be announced on Good Morning America Weekend tomorrow (channel 4, 7-8 am). 6:03 PM NOTE: Looks like voting has closed (the MM folks suspected it was only going till 5 pm but weren’t 100% sure), as discovered by Kevin. So now – we wait and see! 12:46 AM SUNDAY: Reading back on MM’s Twitter feed – apparently they DID win and will be on-air live to the East Coast at 4:15 am from a location in Seward Park. Congrats!
Congratulations to the Seattle Lutheran Saints Girls Soccer Team on winning 3rd in state. They just beat LaConner 6-2. Ashley Shaw, Melissa Stein and Danya Van Trojen each won tournament sportsmanship awards.
As mentioned earlier this morning, it’s a great day to help make sure nobody’s going hungry this Thanksgiving. For the Eastridge Christian Assembly turkey-and-groceries giveaway this morning, the line before it started at 9 stretched about two blocks down 38th north of Fauntleroy. At the head of the line, more than 30 volunteers were getting ready to hand out about 500 turkeys:
Eastridge pastor Josh Crandall told us he’d talked to some of the people in line and found out that some had come from miles around.
The church buys the food with money donated by its members – in addition to this giveaway, they were doing the same thing this morning at their Eastside campus. Meantime, we mentioned earlier that the White Center Food Bank has someone on hand all day for last-minute donations including turkeys – we dropped in and found Mike and Audrey there to help:
They’re expecting to have people at WC Food Bank till about 5 but it’s a good idea to call ahead. We’ll update local food banks’ status and hours on Monday, too; here’s our most recent update from the West Seattle Food Bank (for which you can donate nonperishables by stopping by West Seattle Bowl during tonight’s Turkey Bowl, after 6 pm).
(Added 1:53 pm – photo by Gary Jones, orca with Alki Point Lighthouse tip in the foreground) ORIGINAL 10:44 AM REPORT: Just got a text that orcas were spotted off Discovery Park (Magnolia) and heading this way. Off to have a look! 1:23 PM UPDATE: We didn’t see them but we’ve gotten two reports in the last 15 or so minutes that they’re NOW in West Seattle waters – off Alki Point just after 1, then @frewq via Twitter just reported them off Me Kwa Mooks “but not surfacing much.”
… is help make sure nobody goes hungry as Thanksgiving Day approaches. There are ways to donate to both our local food banks today/tonight. White Center Food Bank says somebody will be there today (10829 8th SW) to take donations, including turkeys, which they REALLY need – just call ahead to be sure – 206.762.2848. West Seattle Food Bank nonperishable food donations will be taken at tonight’s Turkey Bowl (presented by the Beer Church with co-sponsors including WSB; photo at left shows part of last year’s haul) at West Seattle Bowl, 6 pm on, come drop off donations and cheer on bowlers including, yes, even a team from the food bank. (Both food banks take online $ donations too – WS Food Bank here, WC Food Bank here.)
*And if you need help or know someone who does – today’s the day Eastridge Christian Assembly is giving away turkeys and groceries starting at 9 am.
Guy Smith of Alki Point has been watching brant geese come and go since he moved there in 1993. His personal observations together with source data from Ducks Unlimited (DU), Washington Brant Foundation, and Audubon field guides have led to the following story. Guy knows that his perspective is weighted toward Alki Point and he apologizes to those readers whose favorite brant watching beaches are not recognized by name in the story.
By Guy Smith
Special to West Seattle Blog
Sometime during the week of Thanksgiving this year, as happens every year, you should see the first of “our” brant geese return from their nesting grounds in the Arctic. Our brant will winter along Beach Drive, Alki Point, and other West Seattle tidelands before leaving again in May.
During the first week of every May, the bulk of the local brant geese population leaves the western shores of Alki bound for their breeding grounds in the Arctic. They travel with other Pacific brant, or black brant, and are nicknamed for their under-bellies which are noticeably darker than those of their Atlantic brant cousins.
These small tidewater geese of about 3 pounds hang around far past the time when you would expect them to leave, with the weather having been warmish for a long spell. But they have always waited this way.
2 friends of ours called this morning to say they were travelling south on Hwy 99 and think they saw Patrick’s stolen van. We went down there; sure enough, there it was on the side of the road. They left a handwritten note on the washers “Out of Gas”. We still had to have it towed because the ignition was messed up when they hotwired it. So glad we put the word out. I hope they had to walk in the rain.
To get any closer to the winemaking process than this, you’d have to go tour Chelan, Napa or Sonoma: Right at the award-winning Northwest Wine Academy in the center of the South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) campus, there’s a Pre-Thanksgiving Wine Tasting and Sale event under way right now (till 8 pm). Lots of visitors (and buyers) when we visited just before 6 – and along with bottles of student-made, award-winning wine, they’re selling gift baskets too:
By the way, if you’d rather relax in a quieter atmosphere, the brightly lit winemaking room in the top photo is only one of the rooms where the event’s happening – there are others, some with low lights and candles. (To find the Wine Academy, use this campus map – look for the building marked WWB; to find the campus itself, here’s a Google Map.)
The arrival of the latest School Beat e-newsletter from Seattle Public Schools provides another reminder: This year for the first time, all elementary and K-8 schools in the district are closed for the entire Thanksgiving week — parent/teacher conferences Monday-Wednesday, holiday break Thursday-Friday. In School Beat, the district says, “The new schedule will be less disruptive to student learning while also providing greater consistency and predictability for families.”
New on the market for $2,895,000 – the parcels south of The Junction that former Fauntleroy Place (Whole Foods) developers BlueStar were at one time going to develop as a residential/commercial project called Spring Hill (no relation to the renowned Junction restaurant). When we reported on foreclosure proceedings involving the site (5020-5030 California SW) back in June (second half of this story), that’s the same amount a bank was pursuing as an opening bid. Property records show Shoreline Bank owns the three parcels that comprise the site, and the listing mentions a land-use permit is pending; here are details on the originally proposed project, from its last Design Review meeting 14 months ago. More recently, part of this site was mentioned at the Fairmount Springs community crimefighting meeting we covered last month – there were complaints of transient/squatter/drug-house activity involving one of the vacant buildings long scheduled for demolition till the project stalled.
Today the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA recognized its volunteers with an appreciation luncheon. By year-end, more than 1,300 people will have given more than 23,000 hours of service in programs, fundraising, and board work with the Y right here in our community. The YMCA could not serve more than 10,000 people in West Seattle & South Park if it weren’t for these incredible volunteers who give generously of their time and talent.
Pictured: Fundraising volunteer Jack Oneal, wellness program volunteer Joan De Vrieze, and fundraising volunteer Tish Hesse at today’s volunteer appreciation luncheon. (Joan will also be performing tonight with West Seattle Civic Ballet in a performance of The Dollmaker at the Fauntleroy YMCA, part of YMCA Family Programs.)
And just steps from the Fauntleroy YMCA, at Fauntleroy Church, setup for the Fauntleroy Art Show/Sale is under way right now:
That’s watercolorist Kathy Johnson from Studio by the Sound, busy setting up her booth when we stopped by a little while ago. The show/sale opens at 6:30 tonight.
If you’ve been worried about H1N1 flu – a bit of good news from King County Public Health – the number of cases is on the decline. KCPH just sent a news release with the newest info – read on:Read More
The West Seattle Weekend Lineup is in the works, but first, from the WSB Events calendar (where you’ll find a long list of things happening today and beyond), three sales starting/happening today/tonight: First, day 1 of the 2-day anniversary sale at West Seattle’s independent book store Square 1 Booksin Jefferson Square – 15% off everything. The doors just opened and Square 1’s open till 6 pm; sale continues tomorrow, 10 am-5:30 pm. Second, South Seattle Community College‘s increasingly renowned wine program invites you to the Pre-Thanksgiving Wine Tasting and Sale this afternoon/evening – 4-8 pm – here are full details on the wines they’re featuring (note: both Square 1 Books and SSCC are WSB sponsors). Finally, the Fauntleroy Art Show and Sale opens at 6:30 tonight at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW; more details on Facebook).
One more note from the Alki Community Council, following last night’s meeting (here’s our wrapup of other items): In time for holiday shopping … there’s another chance to buy bricks or a plaque at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, to support its maintenance fund. The announcement is shared by David Hutchinson:
As you may know, the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project disbanded as of the September 19th Time Capsule Celebration. Seattle Parks and Recreation has recently concluded an agreement with the Alki Community Council allowing the Council to sponsor the sale of additional engraved bricks and Tribute Plaques. The ACC will also be the organization working with the community to coordinate the future maintenance of the Plaza with Parks.
We are happy to announce the sale of a limited quantity of engraved bricks and Tribute Plaques. The Alki Community Council is currently working on getting a 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Code designation. At the present time however, any donations will not be tax deductible. All bricks sold will be 4 x 8 inches. A “family or individual” brick will be priced at $100, while a “business or organization” brick will cost $250. These are the same prices as in the first two sales. You can download a brick order form, a brick sale FAQ, and a catalog of standardized symbols that can be engraved on your brick by going to www.sealady.org . Funds raised by this sale will be turned over to Seattle Parks & Recreation to supplement the existing maintenance fund and used to support approved ACC-sponsored events that benefit the Plaza.
For information on ordering bricks or any related questions, please contact Eilene Hutchinson at:
206-933-8352 libertyplaza@msn.com
For information on the available Tribute Plaques, please contact Libby Carr at:
206-938-8721 libby@carrbiz.com
If you are interested in more information on the Alki Community Council and its activities, please contact secretary Paul Carr at: paul@carrbiz.com
That’s one alternative for 4435 35th SW (map) – the proposed 100+-unit residential/12,000-sf commercial project on the Redline-and-south site – shown for the first time at Thursday night’s Southwest Design Review Board meeting, but not in the online packet. It’s the one that won the most attention – as an option that would feature a little more than 100 condos, over two stories of commercial frontage. More on the meeting ahead:Read More
From tonight’s Alki Community Council meeting: Officer elections, with 3 returnees and one new: Jule Sugarman, Randie Stone and Paul Carr are returning as president, vice president and secretary, respectively; since Larry Carpenter chose to step down from the treasurer position, Terry Zerngast was elected to take over. ACC is also looking for a new board member to replace Laura Sue Hoover. Another new name: Glynnis Vaughan has been hired to take over the Alki News Beacon, succeeding Cami MacNamara; next edition, said Sugarman, should be out in January (he’s accepting story suggestions). The ACC also heard from Chas Redmond regarding the upcoming Alki wayfinding kiosks and stanchions (signposts) that are in the works along with Admiral, which has a meeting at 4 pm tomorrow, as noted here earlier:
(If you’re wondering about the decor, the group had to meet in an Alki Community Center room more often used for kids’ programs, since the center’s community spaghetti dinner was in its bigger space.) As is the case in Admiral, and Fauntleroy before that, there’ll be meetings to zero in on location and content for the wayfinding structures, part of West Seattle Trails (seen the updated map yet?). One more Alki note – another work party for the West Seattle Wildlife Habitat Project demonstration garden at Seacrest is coming up this Saturday, 9 am-1 pm, all volunteers welcome, meet behind the Alki Kayak Tours shack at 9. (No ACC meeting in December, by the way – next one’ll be January 21st.)
West Seattle Chamber of Commerce members and guests were at Westwood Village tonight as WSCC president/CEO Patti Mullen and WWV manager Stuart Crandall cut the ribbon for Santa’s new digs in the original Wyatt’s Jewelers [WSB sponsor] storefront across the breezeway from 24 Hour Fitness during the chamber’s After-Hours event tonight. Santa listened to holiday wishes, too – including the ones shared by Rick Jump from White Center Food Bank and Nancy Woodland from WestSide Baby:
Rick asked for enough food to feed the 1,000 people his agency (which serves part of WS too) will see in the next week; Nancy asked for enough diapers to make life pleasant for the hundreds of little ones whose families get help through her agency. (WC Food Bank REALLY needs turkeys, by the way – their website has info on how to donate – they’ll be there on Saturday this week too; while WestSide Baby has specifics on its site too.) As for the rest of the event – Wyatt’s proprietors Joni and Kirk Keppler opened their new storefront in the heart of the center (by Chico’s, north of Barnes & Noble) to visitors:
Other Westwood Village merchants participated too (with treats from eateries Giannoni’s Pizza, Eats Market Cafe and Sub Shop), as the shopping center gets ready for the holidays. Back to Santa, we’ve got his schedule on the new WSB West Seattle Holidays page; he’s all about doing good in the community – photos are free with a food donation, there’s a Giving Tree for the Salvation Army, a place to drop off diapers (preferably sizes 3-6) for WestSide Baby, and gift wrapping is free but anything you donate will go to local nonprofits. More Chamber info, by the way (disclosure – WSB is among the many local businesses that are members), at wschamber.com.
Betsy reports a burglary on 26th SW in North Delridge – and says she came face-to-face with one of the burglars when she arrived at her neighboring home around 1 pm — “a slender, dark-skinned African American man between the ages of 17-24 walking out of my neighbor’s house carrying a large bag.” She continues:
I confronted the perp who said he was “visiting a friend.” Another young man came out of the neighbor’s yard carrying a bag, saw me, and turned around and ran out the back. The young man I saw looked like he was of east or north African descent – high cheekbones, very slender build, dark complexion. I was on the phone with police instantly. The neighbor got home while I was still calling in the crime and he saw his house had been ransacked, trashed, and all his valuables stolen. Including his rent money as he has been working overtime to pay the rent. They were broken into a week ago but someone was home; they noticed someone casing the house a few days ago, and we saw someone prowling the house YESTERDAY but the police said they could do nothing because no crime was committed. The cars of interest are a RED SUV and a RED/MAROON midsized sedan.
ADDED 8:41 PM: Betsy has included more description information in comments. Meantime, we have had another break-in report – sent by two of the victim’s neighbors, and mentioned in comments – on 47th near Andover (map).
(no relation to the renowned Junction restaurant). When we reported on foreclosure proceedings involving the site (
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