West Seattle, Washington
23 Saturday
If you aren’t so sure about braving the damp, cool breeziness – assuming tomorrow doesn’t surprise us all with calmer weather – here’s one indoor option: The Comerford School of Irish Dance is kicking off a new season of lessons at the VFW Hall (3601 SW Alaska; map). The official announcement says you can “get ready for holiday jigs and reels” with “instruction by three licensed teachers with World Championship experience and honors.” The class schedule for Mondays and Tuesdays, starting tomorrow, is here; for more info, celticartsnw@hotmail.com or 206-935-3225.
The White Center Food Bank (which serves part of southern West Seattle, too) has issued a unique “call for artists” – decorate a chair to be auctioned at WCFB’s upcoming Harvest Dinner/Auction. Think you might be able to help? Read on!Read More
One week from today, West Seattle’s Twelfth Night Productions will hold auditions for six roles – all male, but ranging in age from teens to 60s – in its fall production “The Diviners.” They sent us the audition notice to share with you; read on for details:Read More
Last chance to enjoy some summertime staples, like Colman Pool at Lincoln Park, open Sat-Sun-Mon before closing till May 2010 … or take a scenic walk on Saturday with the Emerald City Wanderers … taste tomatoes at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on Sunday … more than 40 events/activities through Monday night are all featured in the Labor Day weekend edition of the WSB West Seattle Weekend Lineup:Read More
“CROW PLANET” REVIEWED BY NEW YORK TIMES: The NYT Sunday book reviews comprise arguably the most prestigious showcase in America for an author – and Gatewood author Lyanda Lynn Haupt‘s new book “Crow Planet” has just made it there. Here’s the link to this past weekend’s review. We wrote about Haupt and her book just last month – here’s our story; you can also follow her more-frequent writings at her site The Tangled Nest.
COMMUNITY HARVEST PLUM-PICKING STORY ON TV: We’ve also featured Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle and its “donate your tree” volunteer fruit harvests, and now they’ve made it onto TV too – the story resulting from the KING5 visit to Margaret‘s house last Monday finally aired Friday – here’s the link (video). CHoSS is still seeking volunteers, so they can pick even more of the fruit-laden trees that have been “donated” (the fruit goes to local food banks) – here’s how to sign up!
It’s one of the few things we have now covered four consecutive years since starting WSB in late 2005 – West Seattle-headquartered mega-best-selling fantasy-fiction author Terry Brooks made his annual late-summer appearance today at Westwood Village’s Barnes and Noble. His newest book, released this month, is “A Princess of Landover“; Erin from B&N shares this extra info:
Terry Brooks hosted a bookfair in conjunction with his reading, for the Interagency Academy for Seattle Public Schools. A portion of sales will go to this agency if community members shop at the West Seattle Barnes & Noble and either bring in a voucher if they received one or mention the Brooks bookfair to the cashier. It’s not too late to contribute!
B&N is open till 9 tonight. Less than a mile south of there, Holy Family School is hosting its first-ever “El Carnaval” street fair all weekend – we stopped by about an hour ago:
Bouncy toys for the little ones, too:
Last night’s grand finale to the monthlong Summer Concerts at The Mount (WSB sponsor) series at Providence Mount St. Vincent featured a bouncer too – with a tropical motif:
Cheryl Serio sang a jazzy set:
Next big event at The Mount: Brian Duffy leads a workshop in retirement planning, 2:30 pm Sept. 22nd.
Every year, the West Seattle Big Band plays at the Hi-Yu Festival Concert in the Park on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center, usually in July. This year, they got a Hiawatha encore, as last night’s closing act for the first-ever Summer Concerts at Hiawatha presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. We published a report early today about the great turnout and the series’ success, but we didn’t have this video at the time, and wanted to share it with you now. Whether or not you’ve ever seen/heard West Seattle’s one and only Big Band, WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli‘s video from last night’s concert is worth a look and listen. (You can find out more about the group at westseattlebigband.com.)
(Art by Susan K. Miller)
If you’ve been thinking about going to Schmitz Preserve Park this weekend, note that access will be limited, as the film crew associated with the online series “Star Trek: Phoenix” is back. We’ve received two notes about this today – one from Susan K. Miller, author of Picturing and Poeting, a Schmitz Park-centric site, who writes on her site that the notices posted at the park say the film activity will be happening tomorrow and Sunday. She created the art above – explaining:
The porta potty at the Admiral Ave. entrance to Schmitz Preserve Park was the first indication something was up. There are two 8×11″ paper signs saying that Temporal Studios, a local film production company, is filming “a short film” Saturday and Sunday, Aug 29 and 30 from 6am-10pm at the entrance and inside the park. Visitors may not be able to access that entrance or parts of the park, the signs said.
The “Temporal Studios” mentioned on the notices reported by that author is the “ST: Phoenix” production company; they shot in Schmitz Park a month ago (here’s what we wrote afterward).
We’re about to start one of the final few summer weekends, with a list of more than four dozen West Seattle ways to enjoy it – live music (indoors and outdoors), special dance events (indoors and outdoors!), Holy Family‘s street fair on the West Seattle/White Center line, the Reinvent Yourself Workshop (WSB sponsor) on Sunday, fun fundraisers featuring everything from barbecue to haircuts to a dog-treat bake sale … all featured in this edition of the WSB West Seattle Weekend Lineup:Read More
The West Seattle Weekend Lineup will be out later this morning, but first a couple quick reminders about three events:
****Pharmaca (WSB sponsor) in The Junction has declared today Natural Mom and Baby Day — with freebies including consultations, samples, and child-health seminars (10-11 am, on immunity-boosting; noon-1 pm, allergy remedies; 3-4 pm, DHA’s and brain health), and special offers; full details on Pharmaca’s West Seattle store page (which also lists other upcoming events, like flu shots).
****The third 4-day run of Delridge Produce Cooperative’s “Mobile Market” free-produce pilot project begins this afternoon – 3:30 to 7:30 at 9050 Delridge (where we visited them on Day 1). Go get free fruit/vegetables and fill out a (fast) survey.
****Tonight at Providence Mount St. Vincent, jazz by Cheryl Serio wraps up this year’s Summer Concerts at The Mount series (WSB sponsor) — you can watch or listen to her music here for a preview. Food and drink are on sale at 5; free concert starts at 6; bring your own chair and/or blanket.
The biggest group to play the first-ever Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concerts at Hiawatha was also the last to play … Thursday night, the West Seattle Big Band performed the finale in the series of six free outdoor concerts — one of which moved indoors – remember the thunderstorms two weeks ago?) — no sign of rain tonight, aside from singer Stephanie Cortes crooning “Somewhere Over the Rainbow“:
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, who provided the previous two photos, promises video we’ll add here later today (Friday). First, here’s our pic of the last of six great audiences:
We’re glad to have been able to be among the sponsors (all listed here) of this first-ever season – coordinator Katy Walum did say it was “the first” so we’re hoping that means it’ll be back for an encore next year! (Photo added Friday – Katy receiving well-deserved flowers and kudos from ANA president Mark Wainwright)
If you have ideas for this or other Admiral events, get involved with the Admiral Neighborhood Association – it’ll be back to regular meetings next month, 7 pm Tuesday, September 8th, in the Admiral Church basement meeting room.
Didn’t get an official announcement about this, but we just happened to check the website of Terry Brooks, 
the mega-selling author who lives in West Seattle, and discovered he’s scheduled his annual-tradition local appearance at Barnes and Noble in Westwood Village: 2 pm this Saturday. This will be the fourth consecutive year we’ve covered his readings there, always in late summer: 2006, 2007, 2008. Also according to the author’s website, Brooks is sponsoring the Seattle Interagency Academy Book Fair at the same time. These appearances always coincide with a new book release, and this time it’ll be “A Princess in Landover,” the sixth book in his “Magic Kingdom” series. (Terry Brooks photo from terrybrooks.net, used with permission)
FREE HEAD SHOTS: We brought you first word two weeks ago of West Seattle photographer Rasmus Rasmussen‘s idea to help local jobseekers, and it’s since gotten attention from a couple of citywide media outlets, so it might be a hot ticket: 11 am tomorrow (Tuesday), first-come first-served, free head shots for jobseekers, C and P Coffee (5612 California SW; map). Here’s his own original post about it, and his followup about the publicity. (Early Tuesday update: Rasmus just announced via Twitter he’ll photograph up to 120 people, up from 100.)
FREE CONCERT: It’s been almost a month since we got the news that West Seattle Christian Church would play host to the African Children’s Choir for a free concert (donations accepted) – and now it’s almost here – Tuesday, 7 pm, in the WSCC activity center (east side of 42nd, south of Genesee; map). Here’s our original preview, including a clip of the world-renowned group.
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli reports from the Nature Consortium‘s Arts-in-Nature Festival – which continues through 9 tonight (with evening performers including fire dancing by The Cabiri, shown above in an aerial performance earlier) and again 11-6 tomorrow:
Beautiful weather for the 11th Annual Arts in Nature Festival going on at Camp Long this weekend. I stopped in for an hour around noon on Saturday and each event going on had a healthy audience though it definitely wasn’t crowded. I’d advise people to park on 35th though as open spaces in the Camp Long parking were scarce.
More photos from Christopher, before his report continues:
Lots of crafts for the kids. Coloring, painting, printmaking and face-painting, etc. Music and performance shows inside the geodesic dome on the meadow and down by the pond. The cabins are featuring art installations, including multimedia presentations in some of them.
Christopher also recorded video of one performance, by Lelavision:
For the full Arts-in-Nature Festival schedule, tonight AND tomorrow, go here. Admission is by donation, $5; the Nature Consortium is a West Seattle-based nonprofit whose major work involves restoration of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, the largest remaining stretch of contiguous forest within the city limits.
(WSB photos and video by Christopher Boffoli)
South of The Triangle, Providence Mount St. Vincent took on a “South of the Border” flavor tonight during Summer Concerts at The Mount (WSB sponsor), with Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana performing, and Mexican food on sale for concertgoers. WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli reports a grande turnout:
In case you missed it – or if you did, but want to re-savor it – here’s video:
Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana is a Seattle-based group founded more than 20 years ago.
Next Friday night, it’s the season finale for Summer Concerts at The Mount, with Cheryl Serio and Rat Pack Jazz (6 pm, free).
A sampling: Learn about the history of Me-Kwa-Mooks during a walk-and-talk presentation by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society Saturday morning, shop The Junction’s “Big Bonanza” multi-merchant sale (deals listed here) on Saturday, wander Camp Long enjoying the Nature Consortium‘s Arts-in-Nature Festival (WSB sponsor) Saturday and/or Sunday, bring your chair/blanket to The Mount for mariachi music at Summer Concerts @ The Mount (WSB sponsor) tonight AND then tote the chair/blanket to the final West Seattle Outdoor Movies on the Wall presentation of the season Saturday night (“Cars,” with FREE burgers/dogs at a preshow barbecue courtesy of West Seattle Christian, starting 7 pm), plus beer fans can suds up at the Washington IPA Challenge on Saturday … all in all, 50-plus events ahead in this edition of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:
Read More
MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT: WSB will be at City Hall with the rest of the media at 10 am today to cover Mayor Greg Nickels‘ first news briefing since Election Night. Widespread speculation is that he will concede; after three days of vote-counting, he remains in third place, behind Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn, though thousands of ballots remain to be counted.
DELRIDGE PRODUCE CO-OP MOBILE MARKET, WEEK 2: Lots of buzz about Week 1 of this experiment in making more fresh food available in Delridge. Today, this month-long pilot project starts its second week – a different location for each of four consecutive days (the same 4 each week). Find them today at Watts Electric, 9050 Delridge (map), 3:30-7:30 pm.
“THE MUSIC MAN”: Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) is now in the final weekend of this exuberant production (our video from last Saturday shows why we use that adjective!) – and since they had sellout crowds last weekend, you’ll want to buy tickets early (they’re available online). 7:30 pm tonight and Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, West Seattle High School Theater.
LAYNE STALEY TRIBUTE PRE-SHOW PARTY: Tonight, 7 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), there are “giveaways, raffles, a silent auction, rare video footage and a night of music from the late Seattle singer” one night before the downtown tribute concert raising money for heroin recovery in memory of the late rocker. More at the Feedback Lounge website.
That’s just part of what’s happening today/tonight – check the WSB Events calendar, and the coming-up-later-this-morning West Seattle Weekend Lineup, for more.
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli reports (and photographed) a big crowd for tonight’s Brian Waite Band performance, second-to-last in the first-ever Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association (co-sponsored by local businesses and organizations including WSB). Christopher says that “all of the kids were dancing up front and having a fun time. After a few days of heat the weather forecast says the lows will be back down into the 50’s tonight and it was already fairly breezy out there tonight. But the crowd didn’t seem to mind.”
Video to come. (added 10:58 pm – here it is)
Next Thursday night, 6:30 pm, the Admiral concert series concludes with the West Seattle Big Band; tomorrow night, Summer Concerts at The Mount (WSB sponsor) – which, like the Hiawatha series, is free – presents Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana, 6 pm.
(Yusef Mahmoud and Tyler Webster in “Dark of the Moon”; photo by Nichole DeMent)
Two more events on tonight’s slate, in addition to the Hiawatha concert mentioned earlier: First, tonight through Sunday, ArtsWest presents its summer Theater Conservatory production, “Dark of the Moon,” billed on the AW website as “is a dramatic stage play in the vein of Romeo and Juliet set in the Appalachian Mountains during the 1920s,” with a supernatural spin — a “witch boy” falling in love with a “human girl.” More info here.
Second: Though the city announced a month ago that it’s not recommending paid street parking for The Junction, that’s not the end of the Junction Parking Project, which may yet result in other changes. You can find out about the next steps in the process by attending the Junction Parking Project Committee meeting tonight, 6 pm, Ginomai (42nd/Genesee; map). More about tonight’s meeting in our preview from Aug. 11th.
That’s the Brian Waite Band – in the middle of their “20,000 Volts Under the Sea” tour and plugging into the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series tonight. 6:30 pm, east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center (map), free admission, bring your own chairs/blankets/picnic dinner. And if you’re bringing kids – there’s face-painting tonight, too! Weather looks promising, unlike last week. (This is the second-to-last concert of the first-ever series, which concludes next week with the fabulous West Seattle Big Band.)
We first told you last year about the Art Lending Library at Youngstown Arts Center – and we just got word they’re planning to open it again this Friday, for “all who may have heard about the Art Lending Library and … those who have already joined up.” Be there between 6-9 pm this Friday night, south classroom at Youngstown (which is at 4408 Delridge Way – here’s a map). If you missed earlier reports or didn’t get around to investigating, here’s how they explain the ALL:
Mission: The Art Lending Library is a system of lending and borrowing artwork to the public for free. It is a trust-based program where artists provide artwork to be checked out by any member of the public, and patrons allow artwork and artists into their homes; all in the spirit of sharing.
(Olympic National Park photo from nps.gov)
Right now, a group of West Seattle High School students is “on assignment” with National Geographic Photo Camp in Olympic National Park, and this Thursday night, 7 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, you will be able to see the results – Susan Turner from NatureBridge sent the following news release with information about what’s happening – read on!Read More
TEAM TRACY: West Seattleite Tracy Dart and the legion of friends known as Team Tracy are fundraising again today to fight breast cancer, which she’s been dealing with for more than a year (and reports she’s now been cancer-free for two months!): They’re walking in the local Breast Cancer 3Day again next month — Tracy is being joined by 11 women, and with a fundraising minimum of $2300 each, they need to raise $27,000, which goes to the kind of research and care that Tracy says saved her life. Today they’ll be raising $ in a tent outside West 5, 11 am-5 pm, as a prelude to a fundraising concert at Easy Street tonight at 8, with local bands Stevedore and Bend (21+, cash only, $7 cover, proceeds from sales of beer donated by Georgetown Brewery and West 5 also benefit Team Tracy).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Also in The Junction, it’s market day – 10 am-2 pm; here’s the link to the latest list of what’s fresh.
“DOG DAYS OF SUMMER”: In Morgan Junction, West Seattle Thriftway is the place to go today for three things: 1st, think your dog should/could be a star? West Seattle-headquartered CityDog Magazine is back at WST for its Cover Dog Search, noon-3 pm. (Full details here; last year’s WST winner, Cohen, went on to become the Cover Dog!) Bring — or buy at the store — pet food to donate to West Seattle Food Bank, whose clients have hungry pets, too. And from 11 am-3 pm, the Humane Society’s big bright-yellow Maxmobile will be on site with adoptable pets.
“THE MUSIC MAN”: It’s not really blowing the plot of this classic musical if we show you how the Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) version ended last night at West Seattle High School:
Even in a darkened theater, there’s no mistaking the Seattle Schools All-City Band, directed by Marcus Pimpleton, who’s led the music program at Denny Middle School and is adding Chief Sealth High School duties this fall. They, and the “Music Man” cast of 50-plus (with a live orchestra), brought the sold-out house to its feet (as the video shows), and you have four more chances to see the show: 3 pm today and next Sunday, 7:30 pm next Friday and Saturday. Advance tickets are available online.
| Comments Off on What to do on Labor Day? You could start learning Irish dance