West Seattle Valentine scenes: Hotwire’s TV turn
If you drove through The Junction between about 6 and 9 this morning, you probably saw that TV truck outside Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor). As mentioned earlier this week, KING 5 decided to send its morning feature reporter Tim Robinson down to hang out and talk about the Meet Your Sweetheart matchmaking that’s been going on at Hotwire (with the big party coming up Saturday night). As you probably know, Hotwire is a cozy space, and it was fun squeezing in to get a little video of, well, the other video crew doing its thing, talking to proprietor Lora Lewis and then moving on to check out the decorated bags on the wall where people are leaving Valentines for “sweeties” whose photos catch their fancy (see some of them online here):
Hotwire is one of the 20 hot spots tonight for the Valentine’s night Art Walk – biggest Art Walk yet. For the first time in a while, looks like good weather – venues, a map, and a list of “specials” are all on the flyer.
Three Alki Ave updates: Pegasus, Pioneer, Shoremont
Wondering when Pegasus is going to move into its new location next door (former Coyotes, Chez Million, Lighthouse, Point)? At last night’s Statue of Liberty Plaza Project party, the announcement was “within the next couple of weeks.”
Wondering when Pioneer Coffee Roasting Co. is going to open in its new spot east of Slices? Thanks to Rod for forwarding an e-mail exchange he had with its operators, who told him they are currently hoping to be open in early March. (The new location also is finally listed on the Pioneer website.)
Now a followup on our report yesterday morning about new owners for the old Shoremont Apartments on Alki – The firm to which we traced the purchasers, Pb Elemental, has e-mailed back to say, yes, it’s them, and here’s a few words about its plans (they’re promising more info and renderings shortly):
We have recently acquired the Shoremont apartments and the Mediterranean home next door (to remain). We are planning and permitting a six unit project featuring private roof decks and modern details. These new homes will be built green certified (4-5 star), featuring similar green products as our South Park lofts. (green roofs, rainwater collection, radiant heat, solar arrays). The existing building will be recycled as much as possible. We look forward to our first project in the Alki neighborhood and will ensure it is consistent with our design and quality.
The South Park lofts mentioned in that note are featured on the Pb home page.
Looking for love AND fame? Here’s where to find both
On Valentine’s Eve, the Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) “Meet Your Sweetie” matchmaking event is igniting a TV frenzy. 
We told you last Thursday that it was featured on Evening Magazine. Now Hotwire proprietor Lora Lewis sends word that two more TV appearances — live! — are ahead, and particularly if you’re single, you’re invited to drop by; no guarantees but you just might get interviewed, since both stations told her they’d love to talk with singles. According to Lora, KOMO 4 will be there during the 5 pm news tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) night (correction from earlier, sorry); KING 5 will be live Thursday on Valentine’s morning, with several reports between 6:30 and 9 am. In addition to showing up for all that, you can still get in on the “Sweeties” matchmaking by dropping by Hotwire any time (and checking out this page on its website) – we originally explained how this all works in this post last month. And the fun won’t end on Valentine’s Day — the main event is this Saturday, with a Sweetie Party starting at 5 pm at Hotwire, featuring participants reading their Valentines — will true love ensue? Be there to see. P.S. Hotwire also is one of the record-setting 20 venues participating in the Valentine’s night West Seattle Art Walk — flyer here — check out the second page of the flyer for “sweetie specials” at participating spots, which are now stretching BEYOND The Junction, with Thursday night venues including Click! Design That Fits (Admiral District), Authentic Home, and Styling Studio.
Hotwire expands to Pike Place – and potentially beyond
Lora Lewis from Hotwire Coffee, WSB’s inaugural sponsor, just e-mailed to say: “We’ve just finalized a purchase of a coffee shop at the Pike Place Market; opening of the new Hotwire Pike Place Market will be the first week of March. My manager, Rena Poppell, has decided to jump into the world of small business ownership and will be opening this shop under the Hotwire name. This new location actually eclipses other Internet Cafes in the area and will make Hotwire the largest line of Internet coffee shops in the region. Also, by the middle of 2008 we’ll be set to offer Hotwire as a micro-franchise to people who are interested in opening their own Hotwire Online Coffeehouse.” Lora says you can find out more about franchising by checking the links on the lower-right side of the Hotwire home page (higher up the page, by the way, is the latest on the Hotwire Valentine matchmaking event).
Red Cup Espresso update
Two and a half weeks after owner Angelia Paulsen‘s untimely death, Red Cup Espresso in The Junction is open 7 days a week, according to a sandwich board we saw out front – 6 am-2 pm weekdays, 7 am-4 pm weekends, which appears to be a bit of an update from what her husband told WSB last week.
Roasted romance, latte love, coffee for your corazon …
Hotwire Coffee (inaugural WSB sponsor) proprietress Lora Lewis has those decorations up in her Junction store now, and there’s more to them than meets the eye – part of some Valentine’s matchmaking innovation, and Lora tells the story better than we can:
Remember in grade school those little Valentines cards you would secretly pop in someone’s lunch box or desk? Well, just turn the clock forward a ‘few’ years and that’s what we’ve got going on at Hotwire. For the next month you can stop by the shop, have a little photo taken and put it on your very own grown up sweetie box. Maybe someone comes in and sees what a cutie you are and perhaps pops a little valentine in the box. Not that adventurous? Well, then just come over and see who is up for grabs and maybe put your own little message in a box! You never know unless you try!
Already ‘taken’? Then don’t hesitate to pass this on to any of your friends who you feel are ready to meet that special someone! Oh, on Saturday, February 16th from 5 pm-7 pm, we’re going to have a meet & greet where all the people who had a picture and everyone who put a card in a box will be there to read their Valentines.
If you only have a photo available in digital format – here’s how to send it to Hotwire.
T(ea) Gallery closing its Admiral location
West Seattle’s sole tea-only shop is shutting down – 2 months after opening a downtown location, T(ea) Gallery proprietor Tracy Shafer is going to focus on that store. Here’s the announcement she just sent out:
To my friends, neighbors, supporters…
I want to let you know the T(ea) Gallery’s Admiral location will be closing as of the end of January, 2008. The past 2 years have been wonderful. I’ve gotten to know so many of my neighbors and have made some wonderful friends. The location has always been “challenged” for this type of business, but it was truly a labor of love for me and a wonderful learning experience. I hope to re-open a West Seattle shop sometime in the not too distant future, but there are some circumstances that warrant closure at this time.
I plan to offer delivery service to my West Seattle customers and I’m in the middle of working out the logistics on that. Please keep an eye on my website for details …
The T(ea) Gallery’s downtown location (at 5th & Columbia) is doing well due in large part to all of you!!! Spring will bring some wonderful events and I hope you can visit soon.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your support.
The website Tracy mentions is here, and includes a blog page where she talks more about the shutdown decision here.
Food and wine around West Seattle: News ‘n’ notes
First, the food. Happened to notice this on the windows at Alki Crab & Fish at Seacrest – “all you can eat” nights, Tuesday for fish and chips, Thursday for prawns and chips. Since it’s Tuesday, thought we’d mention it, for anyone seeking dinner ideas. While taking the pic this morning (before AC&F was open), we also noticed a sign instead inviting people to be there for New Year’s Eve — “fireworks and fun”!
Now, the wine. Two items:
First, a liquor license has just been approved for “cheapwinestore.com” at an address in a Gatewood residential neighborhood. The website at that address isn’t up yet, so we tracked down the e-mail address of its proprietor, Patrick Collins, who tells WSB they’re hoping to be up and running within a month or so, elaborating:
My wife Brandy and I though it would be a great idea to be able to offer good, really tasty wines at inexpensive prices. Wine appreciation really is on the palate of the “beholder” but we are putting together a selection of wines that we think really stand up to what most people will really appreciate. We will be shipping wines to all of the places that allow, and as we get into this a bit more, we will start to really focus on the great wines that Washington and Oregon have to offer. It has been a great project that my wife and I have really been able to have fun with!
Second West Seattle wine note — WSB talked this week with the folks at West Seattle Cellars about what ever happened to their plan for a wine bar next door (the space that’s still covered with plywood). They say it got hung up in red tape, but they’ve got some other plans for the space now, including office expansion and possibly some additional retailing that complements wine (chocolate? cheese? etc.).
Schooner Exact scores Award #1
West Seattle-based Schooner Exact Brewing Co. is celebrating its first award — at last weekend’s 3rd annual Winter Beer Festival, their “Hoppy Holidays” brew got 3rd place in the People’s Choice competition. If you want to try this award-winner, Marcus and company @ Schooner Exact say it’ll be available later this week at Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction (which by the way appears to be making great headway on the new location next door; we’ll be checking with them soon for an official update).
Moonrise in The Junction
WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli spotted the last piece of the Shadowland sign now in place — the moon. As for when they’re opening – still waiting to hear.
Boozeless Bamboo (temporarily)
Thanks to WSB reader Venkat for the tip that Bamboo Bar & Grill on Alki is mighty dark tonight — because of a big orange notice posted out front from the Washington Liquor Control Board: Liquor license suspended. We went by for a closer look; too dark for us to make out the exact dates on the notice – looked fairly short term — but we could read that the suspension was for “furnishing alcohol to minors.” We can’t find a press release about the suspension on the Liquor Control Board website, but did see info there that Bamboo was fined $350 for the same thing in May, then fined $1500 for the same thing in October. SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Looks like the suspension’s over; Bamboo’s open again.
Where to get your Thanksgiving morning latte (etc.)
So many years, we have found ourselves driving around in search of someplace to get espresso, early, before we start crafting the homemade stuffing and all that. So in hopes of saving you a similar gas-wasting experience, here’s what we have so far, in alphabetical order, for tomorrow’s West Seattle standalone-coffee-shop hours, from a combination of in-person visits and phone calls:
Alki Bakery, closed
Bakery Nouveau, closed
Bird on a Wire, open 8 am-1 pm
Bubbles on Alki & on Delridge, closed
Caffe Ladro, open till 2 pm
Capers, closed
Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, closed
Cupcake Royale, open 8 am-2 pm
Diva, open till 1
Easy Street, 9 am-1 pm
Freshy’s, open 8 am-1 pm
Hotwire, closed
Java Bean, open 7 am-2 pm
Original Bakery, closed (Friday too)
Red Cup, closed
Revolution, closed
Sleepless (DRIVE-THRU), 7 am-2 pm
Starbucks (all WS locations), open normal start time (drive-thru is earliest @ 4:30 am) thru 4 pm
Tully’s Alki, 7 am-4 pm
Tully’s Morgan Junction, 6:30 am-2 pm
Uptown Delridge, open 6 am-3 pm
Uptown Junction, open 6 am-4 pm
We weren’t able to get through to C & P or Cafe Rozella – anyone who knows, let us know; we’ll have to run by later and see if signs are on the door. 9:30 PM ADDENDUM: No clues to be had on the Rozella doors; a comment on this post says C & P is open in the morning, though. THURSDAY MORNING ADDENDUM: Added Diva; went by to check, they’re open till 1.
New neon in The Junction
The latest touch on the much-watched sign for Shadowland in The Junction is neon — as photographed today by WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli. He went by shortly after we sent a note to Shadowland co-proprietor Joe to ask a question we’ve heard from a couple people — what’s going in the circular space in the middle of the sign? Joe says, “A moon. The face is being painted now. Still a mystery on how we will get it up there but we have a team of engineers working on it :) …” Joe says they’re expecting to open the week of the 25th, depending on how city inspections go next week. No detailed menu scoop yet but we’ve had hints here and here. (Joe added in a later note that it’s exciting to finally get so close to opening after all this time – and the birth of a business can take a long time indeed — we looked back into the WSB archives and found our first mention of this project was more than a year and a half ago.)
Thanks to the folks at 
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